The Disappeared Mother River taken by Uygur photographer Erkin Tahitimur. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"In my years as a photography editor, I have seen so many photographs showcasing the beauty of ethnic minorities. To me, it is pure affectation," said Na Risong, senior editor of Popular Photography and owner of Inter Gallery in Beijing's 798 Art Zone.

"But such photos are anything but the real living conditions of the ethnic minority areas. They are portrayed from an outsider's perspective. This doesn't help understand the real culture of those places."

Last year, Na and some of his friends wanted to accurately express the message of photography in regards to the images of ethnic minorities. So they initiated the folk photography exhibition program. The program came to life this May attracting many visitors from all over China.