Spanish-born French photographer Francisco Hidalgo, who started out as a cartoonist before switching over to photography, has died at the age of 80.

Hidalgo, who gained fame in the 1970s and 1980s for his images of famous cities like Paris, New York, London and Venice, died on Saturday in the French capital, his family announced.

Born in Spain's Andalusia region in 1929, Hidalgo studied fine arts in Madrid, Barcelona and Paris.

After his schooling, he worked in the world of Spanish cartooning and comics in the 1940s. He would eventually emigrate to France, where his work — sometimes listed under the pseudonym Yves Roy — was featured in comics magazines such as Vaillant, Pilote and Spirou.

In the 1960s, Hidalgo began devoting his time to photography. He travelled the world working for a number of different agencies and photo companies, including Getty and Image Bank, gaining particular reknown for his city images.

Hidalgo's work was exhibited around the globe and his photography books garnered him several awards.