The ARTIST GROUP all started when Katy Rowe and Dale Stenbroten, both fashion photographers, began to plan their wedding day. We wanted a simple, beautiful ceremony in our hometown. Martha Stewart had just come out with her first wedding book and it truly inspired us to view weddings and event photography in a completely new way.

We asked our friends Stephen Wolter and Scott Stenbroten, who were also fashion photographers, to take the pictures for us. We wanted half color and half black and white, which was pretty much unheard of back then. Stephen and Scott blew us away with the photos they took that day. They captured our day perfectly. It was then that we realized the magic of fashion techniques combined with a journalistic approach. The images they took were the inspiration, and the Artist Group was born.

After our honeymoon, we continued to work mostly in the commercial fashion photography field, but when friends and family called and asked Katy to photograph their wedding, it was a perfect opportunity to try out our new approach. Photographing weddings in a fashion-journalistic style. What an inspiring experience it was to photograph people in this way. It was really fun, and felt so comfortable to us as well as to them. The word spread and our images pretty much sold themselves to couples that were looking for something new. Now the techniques we used everyday for magazines, that told a story with beauty and style, could be accessible to everyone in a way that flowed with the event naturally and unobtrusively. Couples loved the idea that they did not have to spend their entire wedding day posing for pictures, but could now enjoy their day the way it was meant to be.

We were one of the first studios to design our packages around our clients needs, not the photographer’s needs. We decided not to follow the industry standards of high pressure sales, hidden costs after the event, and the worst old school tactic of keeping all the originals. Forcing clients to order prints only through us and paying outrageous print prices has never been our style. Our packages are about total flexibility and are designed to give each client exactly what they want and nothing more. Every package includes all the high rez original files on DVD, so that clients can print their own enlargements if they want to. There are no limitations on any package, including black and white, sepia toning, custom printing, image manipulation and a wide selection of albums.

By 2001, we could not keep up with the demand. Other very talented artists were interested in working with us, and after much interviewing and training, we found and developed a passionate but flexible group of photographers to join us and complete our team. We are all Fashion-Journalists who love our work and pride ourselves on our five star customer service.

Now our plan is to continue our love affair with the wedding industry. We feel very fortunate to have established ourselves in California, Florida, Illinois, and Wisconsin. We divide our time between these locations and photograph events of all types and sizes. Events have really evolved over the years. Each one, a unique artistic expression of the magic shared by the Bride and Groom, their family and friends.  Our mission is to document the essence of that expression and capture their memories forever.

We are very excited about our new book, “Unveiled,” the secrets to great wedding photography. We have documented many of our techniques and collected valuable tips from industry experts, designers, coordinators, florists, caterers and many others. We share that knowledge so couples can push their creative event to the next level. The book is now available and can be purchased by emailing us at info@artistgroup.net, or calling us at 1-877-896-2180.

Our work has appeared in many publications including Oprah, Vanity Fair, Details, GQ, French Photo, Grace Ormonde's Wedding Style, Interview, Goodhousekeeping, Chicago Style Weddings, Art of Weddings, and The Wedding Planner. We have also photographed many celebrities including Robert Dinero, U2, Prince Charles, Peter Fonda, Christina Aguilera, and Jay Leno just to name a few. Visit our commercial website to see more at www.srstudio.net

We look forward to talking with you about your event!

Katy and Dale, Co Owners of the Artist Group Photography

Learn the 6 secrets to choosing a photographer and what many photographers don't want you to know!

 1. Know who your photographer is before you sign the contract and see "their" work. Their work may not be what you see on the website, and you may be surprised to learn what many photographers consider to be great wedding photography.

2. Hire an experienced eye. With a new digital camera, anyone can take snapshots, turn them to black and white and call it photojournalism. It's the experienced eye that knows how to capture the beauty, emotion, and magic that happens between a bride and groom on their wedding day. We hear horror stories all the time about photographers who ruined the day, usually because the photos were boring and were all shot with a wide angle lens, or they were over controlling the day with an inflated ego. You are spending a lot of time and money on your wedding. Choose carefully! All it takes is one bad apple. Your photographer should be extremely flexible, and should cater to you and your schedule. Limitations on the amount of pictures to be taken at the wedding and the amount of proofs you can keep after the wedding are big warning signs that there are going to be additional fees to pay later. Most importantly, your photographer should have a great eye and a portfolio of creative and magical moments to prove it.

3. When comparing photography studios, it's critical to view at least one entire wedding from start to finish, in order for you to know what you are really getting. Photography websites can be very deceiving. Its easy for photographers to cherry pick a bunch of weddings and make it look like a great website, but until you see a wedding in its entirety, you don't know what you are going to get.

4. Photojournalism is overrated. Most all photographers now call themselves "photojournalists" because its the new buzzword, but many studios haven't changed their style since the 80's or they are too inexperienced to know what makes a great photojournalistic shot. Great photojournalistic photography is telling the story of the day unobtrusively, but more importantly, it's capturing those special moments in a magical way. An experienced photographer instinctively knows where to be, and knows what lens to use. We take photojournalism to a new level by incorporating fashion magazine techniques into the wedding story and its the Fashion-journalist that knows how to really capture the magic.

5. Get the original hi rez files that you can print from in your package. You'll save tons of money by doing your own enlargements, and you'll regret it down the road if you don't have your files.

6. If you are on a tight budget, negotiate your package. We have ways to significantly reduce the cost of your wedding package. With holidays and birthdays, you can put Artist Group gift cards on your list. You can also register your wedding with us. Call us for other ideas and information on how to save money.

We have lots ways to help plan your day the right way. Call us and we'll help find the perfect package customized just for you!

Want to see a wedding from start to finish? Visit www.sendtoprint.net and enter the following event codes: Lisaandchad, Danielleandosvaldo, Claireandtanner9807, or Joeandlaurawedding.

Want to see a finished album layout? Visit www.sendtoprint.net and enter the following event codes: Danielleandosvaldosalbum, Josephineandedwardalbum, or Lisaandchadalbum.

Here's what are clients are saying about us:

"I love the Artist Group! They photographed my wedding and the pictures are works of art. I had originally had another photographer booked for my wedding but once we saw their work we had to have them. Their style isn't like any other photographer" Maureen and Troy.

"The photography was the most important element of my September 2008 wedding…that is why I chose the Artist Group. I wanted to steer clear from your typical wedding pictures that often look over posed and cheesy. Thanks to Dale’s incredible creative talent and direction, we have an endless supply of natural shots showing everyone at their very best! From start to finish, the entire process was professional, enjoyable and (most important to the bride…) worry-free! Dale captured many unforgettable moments and we will treasure our photos for our lifetime" Mary Elizabeth and David

"I hired Dale and Katie to take photos of me as a gift for my husband. It was an absolute amazing day... more impactful on me than I expected. They are both so professional, talented and capable of bringing out artistic elements you never thought imaginable. The entire experience made me feel strong, confident, sexy and absolutely beautiful. They both have a wonderful gift and we are fortunate enough they share it with others. I was honored to be able to be touched by that gift. I know we will cherish these pictures for years to come" Tracy

"We also hired Artist Group to do our wedding and we were very interested in finding a photographer that really captured the wedding and the reception. We didn't want straight forward, posed pictures. So, we searched all over the Milwaukee area and Madison to find photographers that would both meet our budget and high expectations. The Artist Group was absolutely fantastic to work with. We received our pictures quickly, while we were on our honeymoon, and were able to look at them online. The pictures actually exceeded our expectations and our family and friends have been commenting on how great they came out. I would recommend the Artist Group for a wedding or any other function. I know I'll be recommending them to friends and family as well" Patrick and Marissa

We hired Artist Group for our wedding, and we are SO happy with our pictures. Dale and Holly were both so easy to work with, and they captured all our special moments in such a beautiful and artistic way. I definitely recommend them!" Katie and Clay