PostHeaderIcon Super Blue 3 : Aviation Photography book by K. Tokunaga

It happens that a single photograph by "Master" Katsuhiko Tokunaga worths to be mentioned by itself but when a new book is published signed by Katsu then that is indeed big news in the Aviation field. We are glad to present the review of recently published Super Blue 3 Aviation Photography book.

SUPER BLUE IN DIGITAL ERA

It was November 2016 when a new Facebook group was created entitled Super Blue 3. Those who were invited already knew what was that all about. Master of Aviation photography, Katsuhiko Tokunaga, was about to prepare the publication of his book , the new member of a book family under the general title "Super Blue". In the months that followed a lot of photos were uploaded there picturing the anxiety of involved Kosaido Publications people and Katsu himself selecting photos, establishing the structure and preparing every single detail. Katsu's third volume of superb color photography does not feature only digital photos inaugurating a new photography era but also a brand fresh social media approach, bringing the fan of his work into the book design process.

SUPER BLUE TIMELINE

Before reviewing Super Blue 3, the following image of Super Blue Timeline shall be useful for the reader. Super Blue 3 comes in 2017 as the last member of a book family. The story began in 1987 when the Japanese edition of Super Blue was published. The Foreign edition followed in the next year, 1988 and two years later a Special edition followed. Super Blue 2 came in 1992 and still is a rare piece for book collectors. A century's quarter later, in 2017, the last member of the Super Blue family was born. It might be considered as a trilogy but it is actually the fifth book of its kind.

SUPER BLUE 3 REVIEW

If you are an Aviation enthusiast then you definitely already know Katsuhiko Tokunaga. If not then the Interview with Katsuhiko Tokunaga given ten years ago would be extremely helpful for an extended introduction into his aviation photography world. It is not an exaggeration to say that Katsu is indeed the best aviation photographer in the planet who has inspired not only other photographers but also a lot of pilots with his inspiring work. He first flew as a photographer with USAF T-33A in 1978 and now almost 40 years later he has completed about 2000 flight hours with more than 60 aircraft types in 60 countries of all continents.

If a picture is worth a thousand words then Super Blue 3 has a lot to say about modern aviation. In 320 pages of a big 30cm by 22cm size, weighing 2.3 Kgrams it contains 108 different aircraft variants in more than 320 photos. A storage case made by α very sturdy hardcover is included. Some would say that its price is high but these exact characteristics combined with high print quality solve the puzzle giving the answer to the question... Super Blue 3 is not of high price but rather of high value. The prologue by Luftwaffe Colonel M.C. (ret.) Roland "Doc" Kauschmann known for his active participation in NATO Tiger Meet organization and his warm words about Katsu proves all that.

The structure of the book is based mainly on the continent, so the chapters are the following:

  • In Europe
  • In the Americas
  • In Asia
  • In Middle East
  • ...And Aerobatic Teams
  • data

In the beginning the reader might find strange seeing for example a US Navy aircraft listed under the Asia chapter but after all it is all about where every photo was taken so it makes sense after the first pages of the book. The book is named Super Blue so the photos taken in the ground or on aircraft carriers are minority but still they are present to honor also the technicians and ground crew except pilots.The quality of the photos is above known standards and that makes us sure that this book will inspire plenty of aspiring pilots and aviation fans for the next decade. Looking through this book is every bit as awesome as being in the cockpit yourself!

At last but not least the data section is dedicated to amateur or even professional photographers since it contains all the details per photo-shooting (camera, ISO, shutter speed, lense etc).

 

SUPER BLUE 3... GET YOURS

If you wish to get your own Super Blue 3 copy please visit Hobby Link Japan : HERE or just click on the following image banner.