Cultural heritage like traditional songs and dances in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is the focus of a photography project. [Photo provided to China Daily].

More than 30 photographers are spending three months in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to capture its natural and cultural landscapes.

The team will visit through August different parts of the region, including Hami, which is known for its sweet melons, and Turpan, home to the famous Flaming Mountain.

The project, initiated by Japanese camera maker Canon six years ago, aims to use photos and videos to showcase fading cultural heritage in China. Every year, it will organize one or two such trips.

"If you want to understand the vast land of Xinjiang, you have to come a few times, and each time you need to stay for a month at least," says Liu Bing, honorary president of the region's writers association.

The land is not only the largest in size at the provincial level in China but, more importantly, it's a place where the cultures of the East and West meet, integrating over thousands of years.