Australian photographer, Nic Bezzina, has captured Newtown’s most colourful shopkeepers in a new book released this month.

The book, Newtown Shopkeepers, contains 50 portraits, including rubber wear designers, cake bakers and burlesque theatre operators, alongside their first person accounts of Sydney’s Newtown.

Bezzina shot the digital portraits over six years and recorded his subjects’ accounts of their life in Newtown after receiving a City of Sydney grant.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said providing grants to projects like Bezzina’s ensure the city’s rich social history is available for future generations.

“The city takes great pride in preserving the work of artists such as Nic Bezzina, who help document our rich inner city life,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We’re delighted Nic has pursued his passion, creating a body of work the entire community can enjoy, learn from, and share with the next generation. His work depicts an extraordinary group of traders who contribute to Newtown’s unique character.

“The retail strips of King Street and Enmore Road are one of the liveliest parts of Sydney. The city is working hard to ensure these small businesses continue to thrive, so everyone can enjoy the wonderful character of this neighbourhood for many years to come.”.