If you’re in the market for a beguiling slice of whimsy, then can I point you in the direction of the new book from Max Cameron: ‘Traffic Cones Of Japan’.

I’ve never thought about traffic cones. I mean, not even slightly. But Max Cameron has. I mean, he’s thought about them a lot. So much so that’s he’s compiled a book about them – a photographic journal if you will – featuring many of the traffic cones that dot the urban landscapes of Japan. “Forget robots, manga or sushi,” he writes in the foreword. “The humble traffic cone outdoes them all in its ubiquity across Japan. I’ve come to appreciate their beauty. The simplicity and versatility. Their gentle omnipresent authority. The way they appear to say, ‘Hey pedestrian, acknowledge me and everything will be okay.’” Each to their own.

Traffic Cones Of Japan by Max Cameron is out now and stocked by Forum Books in Corbridge.