Stanley's Still Life: the young Kubrick's photographs before he became a critically acclaimed filmmaker

His humanist slice-of-life images celebrate his native New York City and already reveal a burgeoning creative genius – all before he even became a critically acclaimed filmmaker, responsible for such iconic films as Dr Strangelove and The Shining.

Now you can see over 300 of these photographs, many previously unseen, as well as enjoy perusing rare Look magazine tear sheets, in a new book, Stanley Kubrick Photographs. Through a Different Lens, published by Taschen.

Coinciding with a major show at the Museum of the City of New York, it includes an introduction by noted photography critic Luc Sante and a fabulous range of stories and pictures revealing life in the Big Apple back in the 1940s – from everyday folk at the laundromat to a day in the life of a debutant, from a trip to the circus to Columbia University.

These still photographs attest to Kubrick’s innate talent for compelling storytelling and serve as clear indicators of how this genius would soon transition to making some of the greatest movies of all time. You can buy the book at taschen.com. Meanwhile, Through a Different Lens. Stanley Kubrick Photographs will run until 28 October at Museum of the City of New York.