Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas, CA, Maternity Photography

I specialize in natural maternity portraits in Carlsbad, designed to feel organic and real, whether we’re in the studio or capturing that golden light outside.

Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas is the perfect place to capture a beautiful and meaningful maternity portrait. This sweet couple was celebrating their first pregnancy with a baby-moon vacation and this was the perfect spot for beach maternity photography! Alila Marea has absolutely stunning views of the ocean and picturesque landscape, it was the perfect backdrop for capturing a beautiful portrait that will last a lifetime and will commemorate the start of a family. I had never been to the Alila Marea (which is technically considered Encinitas but is actually at the very south end of Carlsbad and beginning of Leucadia) and I love that my work takes me to all kinds of new beautiful places! I was so honored to create beautiful memories that will last forever for this couple and I love the way the photos turned out. Here are a few of my favorites!

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

Welcome

Take a look around, and click here to get in touch with me about your own photos!

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.
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.
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.
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 Oceanside, CA, with a natural light studio in Carlsbad, CA, serving North County and San Diego.

With 20 years of experience, we specialize in natural, timeless portraits for families, maternity, newborns, and seniors—capturing genuine moments on location or in our beautiful portrait studio. We’re here to make the process easy and beautiful. Let’s start with a quick chat about what matters most to you. We’d be honored to create portraits you’ll love for a lifetime.

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.
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.
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.

email directly:

heather@vallentynephotography.com

760-672-2416

A large, green, uppercase letter V on a white background.

located in carlsbad, california