SOUTHBURY — After 37 years in business, 25 of those being in Watertown, Images Studio has moved to a new location in Southbury, 49 Peter Rd. Owner Lisa Daunis explains there are multiple reasons behind this move, including being closer to her grandkids, it being a good area for all the surrounding schools they cover and wanting to have that “nice outdoor area” to take photos.
Ms. Daunis explained that in 1986, her husband Ric Daunis opened Ric Daunis Photography, and then in 1999 they opened Images Studio in Watertown. They eventually combined their studios once to consolidate.
“Watertown is very dear to us because the studio was born and raised there. So it’s important to me that they know we’re not just abandoning Watertown. It’ll always be our home,” Ms. Daunis said. “But, you know, with this picturesque area, we have our families out this way and the next generation is going to move in when Ric and I are done. So this offers a more central area for the grandkids to move in as they get older.”
Images Studio mainly offers student photography, but they also do a lot of publicity.
“I would say our business is split mainly between underclassmen, and when I say underclassmen I mean all the grammar schools where we go to the school to photograph, and the high school. So that’s probably maybe 40 percent of our business,” Ms. Daunis said. “The rest is publicity. Lots of publicity, real estate, and any headshots. We’ve done headshots for doctors, lawyers, and more.”
According to Ms. Daunis, their main packages are for high school seniors.
“For our high schools we have one set of packages where they come here. They get a full session, all different things, and they have other options to choose from. High school seniors are our big thing. They’re all done here and they’re all custom. We go inside, outside, we have a golf cart and we take them down to the corner Plaza,” Ms. Daunis said. “Our seniors we give them the total experience. That’s important.”
She then explains the regular school photos that are taken every year are fundraisers because the school gets a percentage.
“A lot of people don’t know that they’re fundraisers for the school. So those are done at the school and those are much less expensive packages because they’re volume. So those are a total different package price,” Ms. Daunis said. “We photograph all their teams, all their sports, all the events, plays, everything at no charge.”
She continues, “High school seniors are custom where the schools are quick packages, done in one day. What a lot of the parents don’t know is yes, you pay a lot more for custom services, but we also do everything for free for the school.”
She noted that if the seniors only want to get their one regular yearbook photo taken, there is no charge.
Images Studio photographs many schools in their new area including Region 14’s Bethlehem Elementary School, Mitchell Elementary School, and Woodbury Middle School; and Region 15’s Long Meadow Elementary School, Memorial Middle School, Middlebury Elementary School and Pomperaug High School. As well as Oxford Middle School.
They will continue photographing for all of the Watertown Schools.
Ms. Daunis said she is excited to meet new people in the community and take care of their needs but wants the Watertown Community to know nothing will change.
“I want my Watertown community to know that we are only a couple towns away and we will always be here for them. Our heart is with them.
“We’re there all the time dropping pictures off so nothing will change for them,” she said. “For our new community, Woodbury and Southbury, we want to get to know them all and we’re hoping that this move made it easier for our Southbury people to come to us.”
Those seeking more information may visit imagesstudioct.com.
