Erwin Olaf, Grief, Caroline Portrait, 2007. MD Gallery, Shanghai and Paris. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Jin, who runs the Cipa Gallery in Beijing’s Caochangdi art district, and exhibited at the previous fair, says while as of now Westerners buy more than 80 percent of photos shown in the 798 art district, the market is developing fast as contemporary photography is gaining more recognition among both emerging Chinese artists and collectors.

“It took 50 years for the (photo) market to evolve in the United States,” he says, adding that the 1980s saw an upsurge in interest due to a group of pioneering photographers such as Robert Mapplethorpe, who is known for his sensitive treatment of controversial subjects. And, since then, people recognize the value of photography as an independent art collection category.

Commenting on the quality of works seen in China, Lin Tianmiao, a contemporary artist who incorporates photography in her mixed-media works, said contemporary Western and Japanese photography were quite insightful in scale and scope because they touched viewers by reflecting the dynamics of life.