Another piece from Reflection 2.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"Ziqian Liu is a freelance photographer from China. She caught our attention with her gentle, feminine self-portraits, where she plays with flowers, food and everyday objects," writes Artpil on its website.

Liu turns ordinary items, such as pieces of fruit and a mirror, into extraordinary works of art. They demand attention, to be looked at, and once seen they stay in the memory.

Hiding her face and playing with shadow and reflection, the Shanghai-based freelance photographer turns the lens on herself, creating "a small world, which is still, but not plain", according to Liu.

"Entering the world I created, I hope that viewers can seek a moment of calm and peace," says the 30-year-old.

"These self-portraits are a channel for my emotions and taking them calms me down," Liu says, adding that concealing her face can make it easier for viewers to get involved in her work, because the protagonist, in the viewers' eyes, can be anyone.