Photographers from around the world focus lens on Beijing

Ten British photographers will train their lenses on the capital over the next few days as the 2012 World Photographers Focusing on Beijing began on Tuesday.

The photographers are invited to learn about and record Beijing, and to exhibit the city through their lenses over the next seven days. This year's theme is "Olympic City".

The opening ceremony was held on Tuesday, and the photographers will spend a week traveling in Beijing. Among the photographers participating are Andrew S.T Wong, Boris Austin and Colin McPherson. Polly Braden, the only female photog-rapher invited, told China Daily that she came Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, 20 years ago and taught herself how to take photos. Her photos focus on everyday life, especially "small moments in the streets", she said.

Wang Hui, director of Beijing Municipal Government's Information Office, said the photographs taken during the event will be displayed in an exhibition in two months during the Beijing Cultural Week "Charming Beijing" in London.

Started in 1999, the annual event invites 10 photographers from all over the world to take pictures of the capital city. It has become a photographers festival and an important and well-known cultural communication program.