PhotographyVallentyne

Leo Carillo Ranch Family Portrait Session in Carlsbad, the Spears Family!

Young girl in a floral dress and boots smiles near cacti at Leo Carillo Ranch under bright sunlight.
The holidays are upon us and I loved working with this family for their Christmas cards and holiday family portraits!

Location:
Leo Carrillo Ranch in Carlsbad, California – “This secluded & meticulously-landscaped park is home to peacocks, birds of paradise, & more. Once part of the original 2,538 acre working rancho and vacation retreat of Leo Carrillo, (who acted in almost 100 films from 1927 to 1950 and co-starred in the TV series The Cisco Kid) the historic Leo Carrillo Ranch is an extraordinary educational and recreational resource.”

Vision or Style:
I love this family’s colorful and fun style. The Ranch and all its various backgrounds was the perfect location for them!

Favorite Moment:
My favorite moment was making a beautiful fort for the kids on one of the historic bridges. It was adorable, fun, unique, and the kids loved it!

Favorite Photo:
It’s always so hard to pick a favorite photo but here is a collection of the ones I loved the most…and there are so many more treasures in this collection!

A smiling baby in a hooded sweater holds a colorful garland at a Carlsbad Family Portrait Session; closeup shows curiosity.A woman in a purple sweater smiles at a baby girl during a Family Portrait Session at Leo Carillo Ranch, Carlsbad. A couple kisses their baby as a woman lifts the child up during a Family Portrait Session at Leo Carillo Ranch in Carlsbad.A smiling family poses outdoors at Leo Carillo Ranch; one photo by a cactus, another on a wooden bridge among trees. Left: Two girls sit on a lace canopy bridge. Right: Family Portrait Session smiles near tree and house at Leo Carillo Ranch. A couple poses affectionately outdoors in Carlsbad, holding hands and smiling near a white brick building. A young girl in a floral dress smiles outdoors at Leo Carillo Ranch, lying on a blanket in one photo and standing in the other. Two women and two young girls smile together outdoors at Leo Carrillo Ranch during a family portrait session in Carlsbad. A family of five sits on a porch at Leo Carillo Ranch; a woman sits separately, smiling at the camera.

Post Views: 2,015
Woman in a long red dress stands on a path surrounded by greenery and flowering bushes, smiling at the camera.

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Oceanside California beach family portrait photographer

family

A couple embraces in a sunlit garden; the woman wears a white dress and appears to be pregnant.

maternity

Newborn baby sleeping peacefully on a white bed, wearing a white diaper, with arms curled near face.

newborn

Woman in a white dress walks barefoot on a sandy beach, looking back toward the camera near the shoreline.

senior

A smiling couple stands on the beach, embracing, with a pier stretching into the ocean behind them.

couples

A person in a green dress holds soil with a small green plant growing in their cupped hands.

branding

Instagram

You keep saying you’ll book family photos when you feel more like yourself…

But the truth is—there’s always something. Life is busy. Your body changes. The timing never feels perfect.

And underneath that… it’s not really about the timing. It’s about not wanting to be happy in how you look.

But your kids don’t see any of that. They just see you. The way you hug them, laugh with them, show up for them every day.

If this has been on your heart, maybe this is your sign not to wait another year 🤍

When you work with me, you don’t just get a photographer—you get someone who plans, guides, and creates artwork you’ll love for years. If that’s what you’ve been searching for, let’s start.

15 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 17979071388008203
You keep saying you’ll book family photos when you feel more like yourself… But the truth is—there’s always something. Life is busy. Your body changes. The timing never feels perfect. And underneath that… it’s not really about the timing. It’s about not wanting to be happy in how you look. But your kids don’t see any of that. They just see you. The way you hug them, laugh with them, show up for them every day. If this has been on your heart, maybe this is your sign not to wait another year 🤍 When you work with me, you don’t just get a photographer—you get someone who plans, guides, and creates artwork you’ll love for years. If that’s what you’ve been searching for, let’s start.

For me, photography has never just been about images—it’s about people, relationships, and the stories we share. If that’s what you’d like in your portraits, let’s talk.

4 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18099656930075530
For me, photography has never just been about images—it’s about people, relationships, and the stories we share. If that’s what you’d like in your portraits, let’s talk.

At the end of the day, portraits are about people—the ones you love most. If you’d like photos that reflect that love, I’d love to create them for you.

8 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18116044912758615
At the end of the day, portraits are about people—the ones you love most. If you’d like photos that reflect that love, I’d love to create them for you.

No two families are alike, and no two sessions should be either. That’s why I design each one with your unique story in mind. If you’d like that for your portraits, let’s plan something special.

7 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18099923068892224
No two families are alike, and no two sessions should be either. That’s why I design each one with your unique story in mind. If you’d like that for your portraits, let’s plan something special.

Families often thank me for making the process so simple and stress-free. That’s exactly how it should feel. If you’d like that kind of experience, let’s chat.

8 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18179497678390263
Families often thank me for making the process so simple and stress-free. That’s exactly how it should feel. If you’d like that kind of experience, let’s chat.

Every stage of life deserves to be remembered—from newborn snuggles to senior year and beyond. If you’d like to capture your family’s journey, I’d love to work with you.

7 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18325388296249483
Every stage of life deserves to be remembered—from newborn snuggles to senior year and beyond. If you’d like to capture your family’s journey, I’d love to work with you.

 

Vallentyne Photography is a portrait studio in Carlsbad, CA, serving families throughout North County San Diego and surrounding coastal communities.

With 20 years of experience, we specialize in natural, timeless portraits for families, maternity, newborns, and seniors — photographed on location or in our beautiful natural light studio. Our goal is to make the experience feel relaxed, meaningful, and easy from start to finish while creating artwork you’ll love for years to come.

Instagram

You keep saying you’ll book family photos when you feel more like yourself…

But the truth is—there’s always something. Life is busy. Your body changes. The timing never feels perfect.

And underneath that… it’s not really about the timing. It’s about not wanting to be happy in how you look.

But your kids don’t see any of that. They just see you. The way you hug them, laugh with them, show up for them every day.

If this has been on your heart, maybe this is your sign not to wait another year 🤍

When you work with me, you don’t just get a photographer—you get someone who plans, guides, and creates artwork you’ll love for years. If that’s what you’ve been searching for, let’s start.

15 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 17979071388008203
You keep saying you’ll book family photos when you feel more like yourself… But the truth is—there’s always something. Life is busy. Your body changes. The timing never feels perfect. And underneath that… it’s not really about the timing. It’s about not wanting to be happy in how you look. But your kids don’t see any of that. They just see you. The way you hug them, laugh with them, show up for them every day. If this has been on your heart, maybe this is your sign not to wait another year 🤍 When you work with me, you don’t just get a photographer—you get someone who plans, guides, and creates artwork you’ll love for years. If that’s what you’ve been searching for, let’s start.

For me, photography has never just been about images—it’s about people, relationships, and the stories we share. If that’s what you’d like in your portraits, let’s talk.

4 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18099656930075530
For me, photography has never just been about images—it’s about people, relationships, and the stories we share. If that’s what you’d like in your portraits, let’s talk.

At the end of the day, portraits are about people—the ones you love most. If you’d like photos that reflect that love, I’d love to create them for you.

8 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18116044912758615
At the end of the day, portraits are about people—the ones you love most. If you’d like photos that reflect that love, I’d love to create them for you.

No two families are alike, and no two sessions should be either. That’s why I design each one with your unique story in mind. If you’d like that for your portraits, let’s plan something special.

7 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18099923068892224
No two families are alike, and no two sessions should be either. That’s why I design each one with your unique story in mind. If you’d like that for your portraits, let’s plan something special.

Families often thank me for making the process so simple and stress-free. That’s exactly how it should feel. If you’d like that kind of experience, let’s chat.

8 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18179497678390263
Families often thank me for making the process so simple and stress-free. That’s exactly how it should feel. If you’d like that kind of experience, let’s chat.

Every stage of life deserves to be remembered—from newborn snuggles to senior year and beyond. If you’d like to capture your family’s journey, I’d love to work with you.

7 1
Open post by vallentynephotography with ID 18325388296249483
Every stage of life deserves to be remembered—from newborn snuggles to senior year and beyond. If you’d like to capture your family’s journey, I’d love to work with you.
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3138 Roosevelt St M

Carlsbad, CA 92008