London Life: Photographer records the pivotal moments of the capital for nearly 70 years

Rather fascinatingly, he often records the final moments before some kind of transformation shakes the capital forever. From the closure of the market at Covent Garden and the last ever rag and bone man to the end of legal smoking in public places and the final days of Woolworths – O'Brien has an uncanny knack of photographing something before it's gone for good, never to be seen again.

It's through his urban images that he's able to share such decisive moments; that's whether they're very historical events or just simple narratives of everyday life. No matter how exciting or mundane the subject matter, everything he captures is poetic and beautiful, frozen in time for future generations to reflect upon.

Available in a book entitled London Life, O'Brien shares seven decades of his work in the capital. You can also discover more about him at www.colinobrien.co.uk.

Main image: The end of the London Trams. Thames Embankment - 1952