Qi Shuang, 67, a farmer in Laqian village of Jiaohe, Jilin province, takes photos in a rural area. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Over the past 20 years, more than 80 farmers in Jiaohe, Jilin province, have used their cameras to record daily life and changes in rural areas.

Qi Shuang, 67, a farmer in Laqian village, has taken tens of thousands of photos since buying his first camera 30 years ago. His interest in photography started during the 1980s, when he worked as a movie projectionist for outdoor movies in nearby villages.

"When I watched the beautiful scenery presented by documentary films, I wondered whether I could record them too," he said. "But a camera was a luxury for a rural family."

Qi spent nearly three years saving 100 yuan by selling piglets and calves.

Despite opposition from his wife, he spent the money on a camera that started his photographic journey.

"You may have no idea about the amount of money at that time. That was a sum of several months' living expenses for my family," he said. "I really wanted to record the precious moments of my life and the beautiful scenery in my hometown."

He began by walking around nearby rural areas in his spare time, taking photos of whatever he found interesting. In 2000, he held his first photo exhibition with the support of the city's cultural center. It encouraged him to take more photos and improve his skills.

Qi has received more than 100 awards, from the county to national levels, which gave him a sense of pride.

A photo by Qi Shuang captures farmers in Jiaohe, Jilin province, returning home from the market on a snowy winter day. [Photo by Qi Shuang/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"I will never stop photographing as long as I can move," he said. "The photos are the most precious thing in my life."

Ma Xueyan, a 61-year-old farmer from Nianzigou village, began his photographic journey much later than Qi, but he has made remarkable progress.

After his son got married in 2011, Ma was able to relax a little as the burden family was lighter. He spent around 4,000 yuan buying a digital single-lens reflex camera to fulfill the dream born in his adolescence.

"I was interesting in the arts in childhood and was attracted by a camera that my father brought home when I was in junior high school," he said. "The camera was sent by an employer to my father as payment for work, and I was quite curious about this strange new thing."

Ma got little chance to use the camera, however, as his elder brother took it away when he moved to Heilongjiang province. That's when he determined to pursue photography on his own.

After getting the new camera, Ma seized every opportunity to learn from other photographers and improve his skills. He made rapid progress.

Most of Ma's photos show daily life in the rural areas where he lives.

"I hope to record the unique beauty of farmers and their industrious nature with my camera," he said. "My family members began to give me great support as my photos shocked them. There was so much they had never noticed before."

Three years ago, Ma moved to an apartment in the center of town and he found more time to take photos around the city.

"In recent years, the city has paid much attention to promoting rural construction, and we can find big changes in living environments, infrastructure and people's spirit in rural areas," he said. "Fortunately, I have recorded all the changes with my camera and will keep the photos as my precious treasure."

A photo by Ma Xueyan captures farmers in Jiaohe, Jilin province, planting black fungus. [Photo by Qi Shuang/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]