An exhibition by Hollywood photographer Sid Avery, which captures film stars away from the spotlight, opens on Friday.

Avery, who died on 15 July this year aged 83, was one of the film industry's foremost photographers during the 1950s and 60s.

He took more than 350,000 pictures of the era's biggest actors and actresses.

He was famous for capturing pictures of stars off duty, relaxing at home or indulging in pursuits away from the public eye.

His approach made him popular with publicity-shy stars including Humphrey Bogart and James Dean.

I think people at the time genuinely believed this was an accurate depiction of their home lives

Pippa Oldfield, Tom Blau Gallery

Highlights of the exhibition include snaps of Paul Newman cooking breakfast for wife Joanne Woodward, Steve McQueen going for a drive in his 1957 Jaguar and Rock Hudson, fresh from the shower, answering the phone.

"I think people at the time genuinely believed this is how they lived, and this was an accurate depiction of their home lives," said Pippa Oldfield of London's Tom Blau Gallery, where the show is being held.

"There are some pictures of Rock Hudson in the show as this all-American heterosexual stud, which at the time he was thought to be - which we all know now was not the case."

"But the reading is very different today to how it was in the 50s."

Traditional Hollywood glamour photos had previously been about the stars as distant icons.

Avery's shots allowed the public a glimpse into the private lives of the stars for the very first time.

However, the shots were still carefully planned by film publicists to preserve the images of many of those involved.

James Dean was a fan (copyright: 1978 Sid Avery/MPTV)

"They would hide people's sexualities, gloss over their troubled childhood, hide drink problems," says photography expert Roger Hargreaves.

"And all of that varnished truth comes out in Sid's supposedly candid photography."

The work of Sid Avery is represented in many major collections, including The Museum Of Modern Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall and Elton John also have private collections of his work.

Sid Avery's Hollywood Lives runs at the gallery until 7 September.