About Us
Deb Wallenberg was born and raised in Sioux Falls , SD where the outdoors and sportsmanship was an integral part of her life. She grew up in a family of avid hunters and fishermen. At an early age her father had an interest in photography, which is the basis of the field she pursues today. She quickly realized that her idea of shooting wildlife was better suited with a camera than as a hunter. Deb and her family moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1982, which became the backdrop for most of her wildlife photos.
Being a self-taught photographer with multiple books, classes and mentors, Deb Wallenberg, decided to strike out on her own with a business opening Studio Unlimited in Custer, SD 1989. Her studio specialized in portraits, weddings, and sports photography. During the years of operating her studio she still kept an interest in wildlife photography; devoting her free time to an extensive portfolio of wildlife and landscaping photographs. She won the SD Tourism Governor’s award in 1990 and the photos have been used in numerous advertisements promoting tourism in the area. She has also been published in the South Dakota Journal, Rapid City Journal, and the Sioux Falls Argus Leader with her amazing photographs of the Galena Forest Fire that wrecked havoc on the Custer State Park in 1991.
In 1993, Deb purchased Frontier Photo from Cindy Sayles. The studio specializes in old time sepia portraits taken of their clients in period costumes. By combing both studios into one, Deb has had a striving business for more than 20 years. Most of her summer months are reserved for catering to the many tourists who visit the area. Leaving the other seven months to portrait and wedding work as well as pursuing her passion of fantastic wildlife images. Deb has won numerous awards for her old time photo work at the Amusement Photographers’ International yearly competitions including, but not limited to at least one Best of Show Award. Recently, her and her daughter both had photos and an article published in “In The Wind” motorcycle magazine with their editorial photographs covering the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally that comes to the Black Hills annually. Deb has had many other business endeavors in her lifetime including ownership of a Subway franchise, which has since been sold, and adding on
T-shirt and apparel sales to her store, framing, souvenirs, and bicycle rentals.
