I love sending out our annual family photo as something for my family to treasure, and also as a fun way to stay in touch with those we love who are far away and to keep them updated on how everyone has grown. Every year, as fall approaches, the hardest thing to figure out is where to take our family photos. I try to change the location every year, but still keep it close to our home and convenient for our family's schedule.

We've been using Artifact Uprising for our cards for years and love the clean and simple designs (on 100% recycled paper!) that really let the photos shine. The new foil designs this year are my favorite! So we've teamed up with them today to share my tips for choosing a great location for taking your family's photo… 

1. An indoor studio — If weather is questionable, an indoor location or photo studio guarantees it won't rain or snow during your photo session. For our first family photo ever, our friends Max and Jesse teamed up to offer 20 minute pop-up photo sessions at a local studio in Los Angeles. All we had to do was show up—no worries about props, lighting, or weather conditions.

Featured: Foil-Stamped Merry Card

2. Your neighborhood — For our 2nd year, we wanted to capture the beauty of our Los Angeles neighborhood. Ruby was only 2 years old, so we kept the location within 10 minutes of our house. Little kids can only really take photos for 15-20 minutes (maybe 30 minutes if you have an especially patient child) so close locations are helpful. Our photographer, Katherine, did such a good job capturing the simplicity and beauty of our surroundings while capturing my family's personality at the same time.

Featured: Simple Love To You & Yours Card; Foil-Stamped Happy Holidays Card

3. At home — The easiest location of them all is home sweet home. For our 3rd year, Coco had just been born and so she was a tad too tiny to take out and about. We shot most of the photos in our bedroom with the kids playing, laying, or sitting on the bed with us. They were casual, personal, and Katherine really captured the joy of our new arrival so well.

Featured: With Love Grid Card

4. A graphic background — For our 4th year, I was really into finding the coolest walls around Los Angeles. There are so many amazing murals to choose from in this city. However, I ended up going with something more graphic in texture and chose this huge wall outside of the Broad Museum. It was also an ode to my love of art and the excitement of Downtown Los Angeles (where the museum is located). Our amazing photographer, Morgan, shot these photos right before sunset so the light was natural with a beautiful glow.

Featured: New Adventures, New Year Card with Foil; Simple Hand-Letterd Holiday Card

5. If all else fails, add props — Sometimes when you take family photos, it can feel weird to just stand there and smile. We always take posed photos but then also just play and let the kids do their thing. One thing that helps loosen things up are some simple props. You don't have to turn it into a wedding photo booth, but whether it's a bunch of beach balls or a pile of flowers from your garden, props can add a whimsical touch to photos. For this year's photo, we went to a local garden and took a bunch of streamers for the kids to play with and hold. Our photographer, Morgan, checked out the garden the day before to make sure there would be some open areas where the kids could just run wild with streamers in hand. The streamers added lightness and extra color to our natural setting. 

Featured: Here's to the Good New Years Card

Hopefully, seeing all the locations we've taken family photos in the past give you ideas for your upcoming and future family photos! 

P.S. Artifact Uprising is offering a special code for 10% off their Holiday Photo Cards for Oh Joy readers. Simply enter OHJOYXAU16 at checkout by November 29th. And, tips for choosing outfits for family photos!

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Artifact Uprising—a brand I've used and loved for years. All words are my own. 

{Flat photos by Casey Brodley, flat styling by Julia Wester. Family photos by: Max Wanger, Jesse Marble, Katherine Rose, and Morgan Pansing.}