The 6th Lianzhou International Photography Festival, Lianzhou Foto 2010, brings together more than 7,500 photos, created by over 100 photographers from all around the world.

While many other arts festivals are expanding, Lianzhou Foto aims "to present exhibitions of a smaller scale but better quality for participants and viewers", says festival curator Duan Yuting.

The solo exhibitions, almost 60 in all, are on view at three venues - the Shoe Factory, the Granaries and the Candy Factory - accounting for more than 20,000 square meters of exhibition space in this small city in southern Guangdong province.

Peripheral exhibitions, such as ink painting exhibitions, local specialty fairs and shows of works by amateurs hang on billboards in the streets of the old city.

Built around the theme Is the World Real? the 2010 festival aims to explore the meaning of photography and the relationship between photographers and social reality.

Highlights include works by established international and Chinese photographers such as Jean Baudrillard, Patrick Zachmann, Liu Heung Shing, Zhu Xianmin and Zhang Dali.

"Young and emerging photographers, some of whom have received no formal education in photography, are also participating", art director Fei Dawei says.

"Young photographers know no conventions. So they have more freedom taking photos," Fei explains.

For example, the 100-odd photographs of Tang Wenjing, a 20-something amateur, at the Granaries exhibition area, are attracting huge attention.

A rural girl from Hunan province, Tang was surprised when she was invited to participate by the organizers.

"This must be a joke, I thought," the second-year art design major says.

She took a serious interest in photography in 2008 and bought her first camera in 2009, uploading her works onto her blog and message boards.

The festival's curators found her on the Internet.

Speaking of the festival's host city, Qi Huahai, a local publicity official says: "It is a win-win situation. On the one hand, it promotes the city and its tourism, and on the other it gives lovers of photography art a very different experience from that of urban festivals."

The festival is on till Dec 26.