San Diego family portrait photographer
Beautiful photos with a candid approach + easy direction that makes the session natural and fun.
Your only job is to be yourself & let me do the rest.
Get in touch to get this on your calendar before another stage passes by.
"Heather just competed out family photos for this year. We could not be more pleased! She was fantastic to work with from setting up location and making suggestions to the very impressive final product. She has a warm and friendly personality and makes the process feel as fun and natural as possible. Patient and creative with capturing young kids too!"
the garner family
How it Works
Say hello!
When you book your call, we'll start getting an idea of who you are and what you'd like to create to remember this season of your life. We'll talk about the process and answer all of your questions and then we will get you booked and on the calendar.
Have your session
You'll be fully guided and directed throughout the session so all you will have to focus on is having fun and enjoying the people you love. You might feel a little nervous at first but that will quickly melt away as we focus on your real connections with your family. We are serious about creating art for you, but also serious about giving you the greatest experience you've ever had in front of the camera!
The Reveal
We will get together via zoom to reveal the gorgeous images we have created together. We will guide you through choosing your favorites and talk about how they might look best in your home. My number one tip, trust your instincts. The ones that make you smile or tear up instantly, are the ones you're going to print!
Special Delivery!
Within weeks of your ordering appointment, a very special package will be delivered to your home all the way from our professional lab. You will be holding your finished ART in your hands and hanging it on your walls! The best part about the artwork we deliver is that it's going to grow more special and meaningful over the years, increasing in value in your heart as the ages and stages change in your family. I can guarantee that you will still be smiling and tearing up on a normal Tuesday afternoon years from now, as you pass these images on your walls.
"5 stars from start to finish! We were coming in from out of town and she made the entire process simple and enjoyable. Heather was a joy to work with and knew exactly how to work with our two small boys. We couldn't be happier with the photos-love, love, love them!!!"
the benson family
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.
When I look at your baby, I don`t see a prop or a pose.
I see the way their fingers stretch when they yawn.
The way they melt into your arms when they`re calm.
The tiny, perfect details that are already changing by the day.
To me, that`s where the beauty is. Natural. Simple. Real.
These aren`t just photos- they`re a way to remember what it felt like in those first quiet days as a family.
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I love color… but black and white? It completely took the cake for this session.
There’s just something about it—how it strips everything down to the connection, the emotion, the light.
Black and white portraiture feels timeless in the best way.
It doesn’t follow trends. It doesn’t age. It simply is.
For this family, it felt like the perfect fit—simple, honest, and full of feeling.
The kind of portraits that will look just as beautiful in 30 years as they do today.
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Sometimes the simplest scenes stop you in your tracks. A wide sky, wings in motion, and a reminder that beauty is always unfolding overhead.
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There’s something so timeless about black and white studio portraits.
They draw your eye to what matters most—the emotion, the connection, the little details.
And yes… even with a wild two-year-old, that magic is still there.
The movement. The mischief. The way they light up the room just by being themselves.
Studio sessions don’t have to mean stillness.
They just make space for the real moments to shine.
And in black and white? Those moments become something truly unforgettable.
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The way kids reach for their dad—the squeeze around his neck, the way they fit perfectly in his arms—those are the kinds of moments that only last for a season. Photos like this freeze it so you can come back to it, long after the hugs have grown.
#carlsbadphotographer #carlsbadfamilyphotographer #oceansidephotographer #sandiegofamilyphotographer #sandiegophotographer #encinitasphotographer #encinitasfamilyphotographer #lajollaphotographer #lajollafamilyphotographer #carlsbadbeachphotographer #carlsbadbeach #carlsbadvillage #sandiegolifestylephotographer #lifestylefamilyphotography #familyphotographer #familyphotography #familybeachphotos #carlsbadfamily #carlsbadcalifornia #oceansidecalifornia #oceansidepier #vallentynephotography #TheEverydayPortrait #DocumentYourDays #LetThemBeLittle
Sometimes the most iconic settings are the simplest. A lifeguard tower, the ocean behind you, and everyone piled close together. It’s not about posing—it’s about capturing what your family looks like in this season, right here, right now.
#carlsbadphotographer #sandiegophotographer #encinitasphotographer #oceansidephotographer #lifestylefamilyphotography #southerncaliforniaphotographer #northcountysandiego #carlsbadcalifornia #oceansidecalifornia #familyphotographer #familyphotography #vallentynephotography #DocumentYourDays #TheEverydayPortrait
