“Valentine’s Day is a day known for love, hearts, and happiness to couples everywhere. But in this world, there is one couple that stands out more than others; their bond, slathered in tomato sauce and pepperoni, is one that is, well, very cheesy,” said Lauren Laveria, who posted a Valentine’s Day photoshoot of a man and his pizza on her photography business Facebook page.
The post featured Dalton Johnson, a 21-year-old air conditioning service tech, and his beloved Papa John’s pepperoni pizza in 11 different, mouthwatering photos. Laveria is a 22-year-old creative writing major at the University of Central Florida who also juggles a second job as a professional photographer for her company Lauren Rita Photography. Shooting couples for engagement photos and weddings is nothing new for her.
When Johnson suggested doing a photo session of himself with a Papa John’s Pizza, Laveria, who was offering mini-sessions for the holiday, jumped at the idea. Johnson unfortunately did not have a Valentine’s date and thought it would be a great way to bring some humor on a day that so many stress about. “I know a lot of people feel lonely that day so I wanted to do something that would make people smile and laugh,” said Johnson.
The post has been a hit with over 2,000 likes, 3129 shares and has boosted Laveria’s likes on her photography page an extra 500 in just one night. While Laveria is unsure about how much business it will actually bring her, she is excited for the extra traffic the pizza photo shoot has brought.
For now, Laveria is always looking for new fun and creative ideas for photo shoots but leaves a little advice for those who feel lonely on next year’s Valentine’s Day. “So remember everyone, if you are alone on this day, you can go out and buy a pizza. How can you consider yourself single when there’s 8 perfectly good slices right there with you? There is no greater love than that.”
