  The flat-spectrum radio quasar 3C 454.3 is well known to be a highly active
and variable source with outbursts occurring across the whole electromagnetic
spectrum over the last decades. In spring 2005, 3C 454.3 has been reported to
exhibit a strong optical outburst which subsequently triggered multi-frequency
observations of the source covering the radio up to gamma-ray bands. Here, we
present first results of our near-IR/optical (V, R, I, H band) photometry
performed between May 11 and August 5, 2005 with the Rapid Eye Mount (REM) at
La Silla in Chile and the Automatic Imaging Telescope (AIT) of the Perugia
University Observatory. 3C 454.3 was observed during an exceptional and
historical high state with a subsequent decrease in brightness over our 86 days
observing period. The continuum spectral behaviour during the flaring and
declining phase suggests a synchrotron peak below the near-IR band as well as a
geometrical origin of the variations e.g. due to changes in the direction of
forward beaming.
