Ordinary beauty - Edwin Smith's striking photographs

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With Sir John Betjeman and Cecil Beaton among his fans - photographer Edwin Smith managed, in the 1950s and 60s, to capture subtle layers of light and texture in scenes of everyday life.

He died in 1971 at the age of 59.

Many of his atmospheric images are now on show at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London, which hosts Edwin Smith's archive of 60,000 negatives. Take a look at their ordinary beauty with co-curator Justine Sambrook.

Ordinary Beauty: The Photography of Edwin Smith can be seen at the Royal Institute of British Architects, in central London, until 6 December 2014.

All images subject to copyright - courtesy RIBA Library Photographs Collection. Music by Dean Martin, Miles Davis, Jerry Keller and Matt Monro. Photofilm by Paul Kerley.

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