When UW-Madison alum Peter Castro designed his Madiscapes"" art collection, he said he ""wanted something that made you look twice ... to make you feel like Dorothy when Munchkin Land turns to color."" Featuring photos that were been edited to look like small city models - the collection will make viewers feel like Godzilla if he ever happened to wander into Madison. With a set of 23 photos scattered throughout the Electric Earth Café, the exhibit is a fantastic escape from reality, homework or an overly talkative friend.
To achieve the disorienting effect, Castro uses what's known as a ""tilt-shift lens,"" leaving a small section of the photo in focus, while blurring the rest. The outcome, in photos like ""Mini-Camp Randall"" and ""Mini-Library Mall,"" makes both the landmarks and people look like plastic toys.
Not all of the photos are of the ""mini"" variety, however. In his other pictures on display, Castro uses a High Dynamic Range technique. Described by Castro as ""hyper-real"" this technique combines different exposures of the same picture to get the desired, highly colorized effect. His photo, ""Prairie Meets Marsh Meets Sunset,"" practically jumps out of the frame with its vivid colors. Other photos, like ""Autumnal Union"" and ""Weeping Reflections,"" do not even appear real, but their images definitely stick in your minds.
With a lifelong interest in photography, Castro was first inspired to pursue art as a student at UW-Madison. Later, while working as a conservation ranger for Madison, he was able to pursue his passion for nature photography further. ""Now my dream of having my own show has become a reality,"" Castro said.
Showcased at the Electric Earth Café on Randall Street from now through Oct. 31, ""Madiscapes"" combines the two best reasons to study at a coffee shop: caffeine and great scenery. After viewing this hyper-real collection and drinking a couple cups of coffee, you might never see Madison the same way again.
