Zheng Longhua's photo features National May 1 Labor Medal winner Sun Changting, who lost his left leg.[Photo provided to China Daily]

From 2006 to 2008, Zheng traveled across the country to interview people that caught his interest, funding the trip by selling his apartment.

During each photo shoot, he spent several days living and sharing meals with his subjects. He refrained from interfering with their work and life, merely observing quietly from the sidelines, capturing moments that touched his heart.

His subjects included Tan Chuanhua from Chongqing, who lost his right hand at 18, but still managed to become a big success producing beautiful wooden combs and providing work for other physically challenged craftsmen, and Yang Hezheng from Shaanxi province's capital city Xi'an, who was left unable to walk after a childhood ailment, but was committed to community reforestation.

"They all had grand goals, and a positive, persistent attitude toward challenges," he says.

In his images, Zheng chose to reflect his subjects' strong inner worlds through subtle facial expressions.

"I want my work to be more encouraging, and to enable viewers to better understand and respect the people in the pictures," he adds.