The photographic art creations collected in the Insight Taiwan photo art database capture images taken by prominent contemporary Taiwan-born photographers of Taiwan's social life, folk beliefs and culture spanning the eras of Japanese colonial rule (1895‒1945), Republic of China governmental administration (1945‒1975) and pre- and post-Martial Law rule (1975‒1990). These photographers, such as Deng Nan-Guang, Chang Tsai, Lin Shou-Yi, Wu Jin-Miao, and Li Diaolun, comprise an outstanding older generation of Taiwanese photographic artists. Their works have won high acclaim internationally and they are considered representative figures of modern Taiwanese photographic art.

In addition to chronicling abundant scenes of daily life in Taiwan during earlier eras, it also showcases the trajectory of Taiwan's photo-historical development. When viewed in photographic terms, it bears testament to the deep cultural rootedness of people, events, objects and scenes manifested in this land of Taiwan. The images collected in this database have more than just one kind of value, they are the elements of the Taiwan spirit, and represent a 20th century microcosm of Taiwan's development; their historical value is without question.