the experience
I offer full service from beginning to end, designed to make your portrait experience as easy & enjoyable as possible.
portrait sessions
A Full-Service Photography Experience — Designed to Be Easy
At Vallentyne Photography, this isn’t just about taking beautiful photos — it’s about helping you actually enjoy them in your home.
No forgotten galleries.
No unfinished printing projects.
No overwhelm.
From planning your session to delivering finished artwork, I guide you through the entire process so everything feels simple and taken care of.
what's included
Personalized Planning
We’ll talk through locations, wardrobe, and how you want to enjoy your images in your home so everything feels intentional from the start.
A Relaxed, Natural Session
I guide you the entire time so you feel comfortable, confident, and fully present with your family.
A Guided Image Selection Appointment
After your session, we’ll meet on Zoom to view your images together. I’ll help you select your favorites and design something beautiful for your home so the process feels easy and not overwhelming.
Professional Retouching
Every portrait you select is carefully retouched to look natural, polished, and timeless.
Artwork for Your Home
Choose from custom wall art, albums, and keepsakes — designed to be lived with and enjoyed every day.
Matching Digital Files
Each image you purchase includes the matching high-resolution digital file. You can also choose to do a digital only collection if you prefer it.
Investment
Session Fee: $290
Includes your custom session and planning.
Portraits are selected after your session during your design appointment.
Most families choose a collection of their favorite images, with collections beginning at $990.
Individual portraits are also available at $250 each.
Every image you select includes both the finished artwork and the matching digital file.
Your Design Appointment
After your session, we’ll meet on Zoom to view your images together.
I’ll guide you through selecting your favorites and help you choose what fits best in your home — whether that’s a few meaningful pieces or a full collection.
Let’s Chat
The next step is a quick phone call so we can talk through what you’re looking for, answer your questions, and see if it feels like the right fit.
what to expect
From start to finish, I make the process feel easy, enjoyable, and completely taken care of. Here’s how I ensure you walk away with portraits you truly love:
A Relaxed, Natural Experience
No stiff poses or forced smiles. I gently guide you the entire time so you feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera.
Authentic, Meaningful Portraits
I focus on real connection and genuine moments so your images feel natural, joyful, and true to your family.
Personalized Planning
From choosing the right location to helping with wardrobe, I take the guesswork out of it so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Beautiful Outdoor or Studio Options
Whether you’re drawn to North County’s beaches and trails or prefer a clean, modern studio look, we’ll choose the setting that fits your vision.
Portraits That Feel Like Home
Images that make you pause, smile, and feel proud every time you walk past them.
Finished Artwork, Delivered to You
Your portraits deserve more than a folder on your phone. I create archival-quality artwork, professionally printed and delivered ready to enjoy.
how it works
PLAN YOUR SESSION
Reach out and I’ll send over all the information you need to get started.
From there, we’ll schedule a Zoom planning meeting to talk through everything — what to wear, location ideas, and how you’d love to display your portraits in your home. I’ll answer your questions and make sure you feel completely prepared before we secure your date on the calendar.
PHOTO DAY
On session day, I’ll gently guide you the entire time so you don’t have to worry about what to do. Your only job is to enjoy your family.
It’s completely normal to feel a little nervous at first — that always fades quickly as we focus on connection and real moments. My goal is to create beautiful, meaningful artwork for you while making the experience relaxed and enjoyable.
SELECT YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOS
We’ll meet again on Zoom for your reveal and ordering appointment. This is when you’ll see your finished images for the first time.
I’ll guide you through choosing your favorites and help you visualize how they’ll look in your home. My best advice? Trust your instincts. The images that instantly make you smile (or tear up a little) are the ones you’ll treasure most.
Special delivery
Within a few weeks of your ordering appointment, your finished artwork will be professionally printed and delivered directly to your door.
There is nothing quite like holding your portraits in your hands and seeing them displayed in your home. These pieces become more meaningful with time — growing alongside your family through every age and stage.
more about me
Hello, I’m Heather — founder of Vallentyne Photography.
I started my business in 2005 and have been serving families in Coastal Oceanside and throughout North County San Diego ever since. Photography has taken me all over the world, but this beach community is home — and it’s where I feel most inspired creating meaningful portraits for the people who live and vacation here.
Before portraits became my focus, I worked in the surf industry — shooting for women’s surf magazines, editing for another publication, and photographing catalogs for surf and skate brands. That creative foundation shaped my natural, relaxed style that so many families love today.
I’ve photographed over 1,000 sessions and weddings in my career (and yes… one of my cameras passed a million shutter clicks!). Experience matters — especially when you want your session to feel easy, organized, and genuinely enjoyable.
I’ve been married to my husband since 2007 — our first dates were surfing and snowboarding, and they still are. We’re raising two teenage boys here in Oceanside, along with our fur family member, Charlie. Life is full, fast, and meaningful — and that perspective deeply shapes the way I photograph families.
More than anything, I believe in creating portraits that feel natural, beautiful, and lasting. Images that don’t just live on a phone — but become part of your home and your family story.
If that sounds like what you’re looking for, I would love to connect and plan something meaningful together.
get in touch to plan your photos - I would love to speak with you.
Vallentyne Photography is a portrait studio in Oceanside, CA, with a newborn 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 enjoyable. Let’s start with a quick chat about what matters most to you. We’d be honored to create portraits you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Your photos shouldn’t just sit on a computer—they should live in albums, frames, and prints you see every day. If that sounds right to you, I’d love to help design it.
Being part of this community means I get to photograph people in the same places I grew up. That history makes each session even more special. If you’d like to create your own memories here, let’s connect.
My clients often say the hardest part was just reaching out—after that, I guide them through everything. If you’ve been thinking about photos, I’d love to make it easy for you.
When people ask what kind of portraits I do, the answer is simple: ones that show love, connection, and personality. If that’s what you want, I’d love to create it with you.
Every wall in your home tells a story. I’d love to help you design artwork that reflects the people you love most. If you’d like that, let’s start planning.
What I’ve learned over 20 years is that every family has their own rhythm, and the best portraits come when I let that guide the session. If you’d like photos that feel like your family, let’s chat.
