A family of a folk opera performer in Guizhou province. [Photo by Ma Hongjie / For China Daily]

Ma also includes a photographer's log for each family in the album, recording the process of finding the people and shooting the photos, in which he tells parts of the family history as they told him.

"We are living in an era that is worth recording, and there are so many topics in China," says well-known photographer He Yanguang. "Ma has found his own angle. I hope his album can inspire more friends to pay attention to the details in our lives."