A Crowd of Cones
October 14, 2018
How I ever got started with traffic cones, I don’t know. But I’ve been photographing them for many years. The first photo, below, just happens to have been taken last year outside the Wisconsin State Capitol, whose interior recently made an appearance on this blog.
Romancing Reality 
Cones can always make for an interesting photograph. Reading your title made me wonder what might make an interesting alternative collective term for a bunch of cones? I came up with an ‘obstruction’ of cones or maybe a ‘warning’ of cones or even a ‘doom’ of cones! Maybe your readers can throw in a few other ideas 🙂
Have a great Sunday…
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October 14, 2018 at 5:16 AM
Thank you, Postcard Cafe, for your inventive alternative collective nouns for these cones. They’re really fun! You have a great Sunday, too.
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October 14, 2018 at 9:16 AM
Love this series! Great shapes, textures and contrasts. Each picture seems to be a narrative, telling us a story.
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October 14, 2018 at 6:29 AM
Thank you, Clare. I agree that these are narrative photographs—more than most of mine. Perhaps the most narrative photo of a traffic cone that I’ve ever taken is this one: https://lindagrashoff.wordpress.com/other-files/wicked-traffic-cone-of-the-south/. (I didn’t include it in this post because the focus is embarrassingly off.)
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October 14, 2018 at 9:49 AM
I love the top image. Cleverly composed, humorous and a bit scary.
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October 14, 2018 at 3:18 PM
Thanks, John. It does make you wonder.
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October 14, 2018 at 3:21 PM
A wonderful collection of cones, Linda. I think this could be a great collection, similar to the fish bins or dumpsters. Keep at it. There’s source material everywhere. I have some pix of them myself somewhere in my archives.
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October 14, 2018 at 5:19 PM
Thanks for the encouragement, Ken. Yeah, I can’t stop now.
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October 14, 2018 at 8:53 PM
yay, cones!
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October 15, 2018 at 3:52 PM
These are documenting the obvious, aren’t they. Glad you approve!
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October 15, 2018 at 3:53 PM
haha, they so are! 😉
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October 15, 2018 at 3:54 PM
I like the battered ones and, very much, the final one. A 🙂
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October 16, 2018 at 2:51 AM
Thank you, Adrian. Will try to find some more battered ones for you. And take more close-ups of them.
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October 16, 2018 at 10:13 AM
Fun, fun….
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October 18, 2018 at 10:50 AM
Sure is! Thanks for commenting, Patricia.
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October 18, 2018 at 11:13 AM
The last one is a beaut. Fits right in with some of the dumpster shots 🙂
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October 18, 2018 at 8:10 PM
Thanks, Alan. Yes, it does have that dumpsterish look about it!
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October 18, 2018 at 9:06 PM
Ah Linda, these are so much fun! Who knew there was that much variety in traffic cones? The first photo is beautifully composed and processed – just right to get the message of the message across. Does that make sense? I like the dinged up surfaces of the 8th and 9th cones too – you’re so damn good at revealing each tiny surface imperfection, and reveling in it. The 10th is so sad. 😉 And the last is the perfect finale, since it ties these right in with the dumpster and fish bin photos. (I agree with you and Clare about these having more narrative than a lot of your other work).
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October 19, 2018 at 9:12 PM
I like your “message of the message.” Not sure it makes sense, but I know what you mean. Thanks for all your kind and insightful comments, Lynn.
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October 20, 2018 at 1:09 PM
Have you encountered any other photographers who share your passion for traffic cones?
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October 22, 2018 at 9:00 AM
Thanks for writing, Steve. Peter, who blogs at Documenting the Obvious, posted this photo last week: https://dothob.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/trio/, and Ken, who blogs as One Owner, comments above that he has some traffic-cone photographs in his portfolio. Even Postcard Café’s comment hints that they might photograph these cones, too. Have you found others?
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October 22, 2018 at 9:19 AM
Thanks for the link and references. No, I can’t say I’ve come across anyone else with an attachment to traffic cones.
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October 22, 2018 at 9:58 AM
What a wonderful project you’ve given yourself to create this unique, ongoing series!
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October 23, 2018 at 12:20 PM
Thank you, Denise. It’s been fun—and will continue to be.
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October 23, 2018 at 12:45 PM