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.
There’s something about that first time your baby wraps their fingers around yours.
It’s instinct, sure—but it’s also connection.
A silent little promise: *I know you. I trust you. I’m safe here.*
They won’t remember this moment, but you will.
And years from now, you’ll look at this photo and remember exactly how it felt.
That’s the power of something so small.
*
*
*
*
*
#vallentynephotography #carlsbadnewbornphotographer #petitejoys #sandiegonewbornphotographer #sandiegofamilyphotographer #newbornphotography #newborn #familyphotography #motherhood #motherhoodrising #newbornsofinstagram #newbornoninstagram #everydaynewborn #love #NewbornShoot #BabyPhotography #BabyLove #NewbornPortraits #NewbornMagic #CuteBaby #SweetBaby #NewbornArt #BabyMoments #TinyMiracle #SleepingBaby #BabySnuggles #NewbornLife #NewbornBliss #BabyBundle #AdorableNewborn
They’ll never be this tiny again. Every newborn is a once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece—just days old, yet already entirely themselves. These early moments are fleeting, raw, and unrepeatable. Capture them not just for now, but for the decades ahead when these sleepy yawns and curled-up fingers feel like a dream.
#newbornphotography #tinytoesbiglove #oceansidephotographer #carlsbadnewbornphotographer #newbornportraits #northcountysandiego #babyphotographer #motherhoodunplugged #newbornmagic #vallentynephotography
One minute, you`re walking them into kindergarten with a backpack that’s almost bigger than they are…
and somehow, you`re standing on the beach, watching them get ready to graduate high school.
It goes fast. Too fast.
That’s why senior portraits matter.
Not for the cap and gown—but for who they are right now.
The smile that still looks a little like their five-year-old self. The confidence that came from years of growing up under your wing.
Let’s capture it—before the next chapter begins.
*
*
*
*
*
#vallentynephotography #sandiegoseniorphotographer #seniorphotos #seniorphotography #carlsbadseniorphotographer #encinitasseniorphotographer #seniorologie #sandiegoportraitphotographer #sandiegophotographer #carlsbadphotographer #temeculaseniorphotographer #seniorpictures #beachseniorpictures #lajollaseniorphotographer #ranchosantafeseniorphotographer #carlsbadsenior #sandiegoseniorsession #carlsbadhighschoolsenior #seniorstyle #csusmgrad #sanmarcosseniorphotographer #collegegrad #seniorstyleguide #sandiegophotographers #sandiegobeachphotographer #beachphotoshoot #seniorportraits #cathedralcatholichighschool #dior
Because the truth is—your kids probably won’t sit still.
They’ll make silly faces, run in opposite directions, or collapse into giggles just when you were hoping for that “one perfect shot.”
And honestly? That’s exactly what I want to capture.
The real smiles. The chaos. The snuggles. The way your toddler leans into you when they`re tired, or how your baby clutches your finger like it’s the most important thing in the world.
That’s the good stuff.
And those are the moments you’ll actually want to remember.
There’s something so special about gathering the whole family—generations together, kids running barefoot through the sand, golden light pouring in.
This sunset session was filled with tiny, beautiful moments: a toddler twirling in her grandma’s arms, cousins holding hands, laughter between siblings who’ve grown up side by side.
It’s these in-between moments that mean the most. The ones that tell the real story of your family—just as you are, right now.
#CarlsbadPhotographer #CarlsbadBeach #OceansidePhotographer #SanDiegoFamilyPhotographer #NorthCountyPhotographer #FamilyBeachPhotos #CarlsbadFamilyPhotographer #OceansideBeachPhotography #ExtendedFamilySession #NaturalFamilyPhotography #SunsetFamilyPhotos #SoCalFamilyPhotographer #HeirloomPhotography #FamilyPhotosCarlsbad #carlsbadportraitphotographer
They say a day well lived makes every yesterday a dream—and I believe it. These really are the best days of our lives. Not because they’re perfect, but because they’re filled with love, laughter, and those tiny everyday moments that make life beautiful—if we pause long enough to notice.
Today reminded me how important it is to slow down. To take a breath, step away from the hustle, and make space for the in-between moments that are everything.♥️
#carlsbadphotographer #sandiegophotographer #love #carlsbadfamilyphotographer #oceansidephotographer #familytime #familyfirst
