IN 1972, the Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita travelled to London and blagged a photoshoot with Marc Bolan. It was the start of his association with the cream of pop talent of that decade and beyond.

In July that same year he did his first photoshoot with David Bowie, beginning a working relationship that would continue over the years and decades that followed. A few years later he created the image that Bowie used on the cover of his album Heroes.

In Eternity, a new book of his photographs, Sukita’s storied career in both Asia and the west is recorded in his images. Everyone from Iggy Pop to Madness, George Lucas to the B-52s can be found in its pages. This photograph of Bolan captures him at his “Bolan Mania” peak when he was, quite simply, the greatest pop star in the world.

“For a photographer,” Sukita notes, “the first connection makes or breaks a photo session. It’s not just about taking the photos. It’s about creating an atmosphere. You need to win the trust of your subject, even if you’ve never met before, whether you’re shooting Bowie or Ray Charles.”

The Herald:

Get It On (Melody Maker cover), Pelling + Cross Studio, London, 1972 – Courtesy of ACC Art Books. Taken from Eternity by Sukita, published by ACC Art Books, £50. A deluxe version is also available at £350