When the rain started to fall, it seemed a planned photo shoot for a senior would crumble but thanks to a helpful Starbucks employee, the pictures went viral. Jessica Vallia is a photographer in Colorado who's known 17-year-old Sydney Johannson for nine years. They were getting ready to start the trip to the Garden of the Gods for her senior pictures when it started to rain. Not just rain, said Vallia, but pour. Laura Johannson, Sydney’s mother, suggested they drive around and find another solution. It was important they take the photos that day because Sydney planned to have surgery and wouldn’t be able to take pictures for a long time after that. The teenager has cerebral palsy. Vallia said they drove around and Johannson wondered if they could take photos in a Taco Bell restaurant. Because that idea has been done before, Vallia suggested a fresh take: Starbucks. The only worry for Vallia was that the store wouldn’t allow pictures to be taken. “We thought, worst-case scenario, we would just sit inside and drink coffee,” she said. That’s when the shift supervisor, Chris, at the Fountain, Colorado, Starbucks came into play. Johannson rushed through the rain to ask if Sydney could take her photos there and not only did he grant her request, the store welcomed them in with open arms and warm drinks. Chris grabbed his umbrella and ran to help Sydney get inside without a drop of water on her. Vallia said one of her favorite moments from the day wasn’t one of the professional photos but rather a more candid one of Chris refusing to get under the umbrella but instead making Sydney his priority. The Starbucks Facebook page even jumped in to thank Chris for helping out.“To Chris and the partners at our Fountain, CO store—thank you for going out of your way to do the right thing, for setting an example for all of us, and most of all, bringing some sunshine to Sydney and her family on this very special day. We couldn't be more proud to be your partners.”The photographer said all she and Sydney’s mother wanted was to give the teen a normal and uninterrupted senior picture experience, but she received so much more. Through four outfit changes and several onlookers, Sydney was having a great time, said Vallia. For the photographer, seeing her friend and daughter happy made all the difference. Vallia said her favorite photo of Sydney that day was one where she was looking straight at the camera and soaking in the happiness. “She knows me,” said Vallia. “The one of her smiling warms my heart.” Sydney’s photos and Chris’ kind assistance have helped the story travel across the nation.Vallia said the attention is one of the teen’s favorite parts of the whole experience. “She loves watching herself on television,” said Vallia. Vallia says she is still in awe of how perfectly everything fell into place for the photo shoot. She just hopes others hear about the story and extend the favor to someone they see in need. “Any opportunity that anyone has to make someone’s day brighter – you should do it.”
When the rain started to fall, it seemed a planned photo shoot for a senior would crumble but thanks to a helpful Starbucks employee, the pictures went viral.
in Colorado who's known 17-year-old Sydney Johannson for nine years. They were getting ready to start the trip to the Garden of the Gods for her senior pictures when it started to rain. Not just rain, said Vallia, but pour.
Jessica Vallia Photography
Laura Johannson, Sydney’s mother, suggested they drive around and find another solution. It was important they take the photos that day because Sydney planned to have surgery and wouldn’t be able to take pictures for a long time after that. The teenager has cerebral palsy.
Jessica Vallia Photography
Vallia said they drove around and Johannson wondered if they could take photos in a Taco Bell restaurant. Because that idea has been done before, Vallia suggested a fresh take: Starbucks.
The only worry for Vallia was that the store wouldn’t allow pictures to be taken.
“We thought, worst-case scenario, we would just sit inside and drink coffee,” she said.
That’s when the shift supervisor, Chris, at the Fountain, Colorado, Starbucks came into play.
Johannson rushed through the rain to ask if Sydney could take her photos there and not only did he grant her request, the store welcomed them in with open arms and warm drinks.
Chris grabbed his umbrella and ran to help Sydney get inside without a drop of water on her.
Vallia said one of her favorite moments from the day wasn’t one of the professional photos but rather a more candid one of Chris refusing to get under the umbrella but instead making Sydney his priority.
Jessica Vallia Photography
even jumped in to thank Chris for helping out.
“To Chris and the partners at our Fountain, CO store—thank you for going out of your way to do the right thing, for setting an example for all of us, and most of all, bringing some sunshine to Sydney and her family on this very special day. We couldn't be more proud to be your partners.”
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The photographer said all she and Sydney’s mother wanted was to give the teen a normal and uninterrupted senior picture experience, but she received so much more.
Through four outfit changes and several onlookers, Sydney was having a great time, said Vallia. For the photographer, seeing her friend and daughter happy made all the difference.
Vallia said her favorite photo of Sydney that day was one where she was looking straight at the camera and soaking in the happiness.
“She knows me,” said Vallia. “The one of her smiling [at me] warms my heart.”
Jessica Vallia Photography
Sydney’s photos and Chris’ kind assistance have helped the story travel across the nation.
Vallia said the attention is one of the teen’s favorite parts of the whole experience.
“She loves watching herself on television,” said Vallia.
Vallia says she is still in awe of how perfectly everything fell into place for the photo shoot. She just hopes others hear about the story and extend the favor to someone they see in need.
Jessica Vallia Photography
“Any opportunity that anyone has to make someone’s day brighter – you should do it.”