I see a lot of articles these days decrying millennials for not living in the moment and being too glued to our various screens to look up and experience life. I agree that while spending an entire gig watching the band on stage through an Instagram filter is no way to live (and it’s not just millennials who are guilty of this!), I don’t see anything wrong with capturing shots of everyday things that make us happy. If they make us feel hyggeligt now, what’s the harm in taking a quick snap to remind us of those cosy feelings again weeks, months or even years down the line? In this post, I’m going to talk about a few of the photos you shouldn’t feel guilty about taking to make your hygge last as long as you like.

Food photos

I’ve never understood all the food photo hate! We bloggers know that an artful snap of a cinnamon bun against a beautiful background or a bowl of fresh fruit can go a long way when it comes to illustrating a post, and who doesn’t love looking at delicious food? When people get snippy about people whipping their phones out for a photo of an especially interesting or beautifully presented dish, I always wonder who it’s really hurting. Nigella Lawson often takes photos of her food before she tucks in, so ignore the haters and take all the food photos you want! (just maybe don’t go balancing on chairs in the middle of busy restaurants to get the perfect shot of the table – safety first, friends!).

Friends and family

Remember when everyone used to take a digital camera (or even a disposable film camera!) everywhere with them? I have so many precious photos from sleepovers and nights out as a teenager because we all made an effort to capture those silly moments or the times when we were all dressed up. Grabbing photos of friends and family is really important, whether that’s at a big event or just a quick snap when you’re doing something fun. If you’re not much of a photographer yourself, why not consider an informal photoshoot? Bidvine allows you to receive up to five bids from local photographers, compare their rates and choose the one that best suits your needs, so it’s a great place to search for local family portrait photographers. If you’re not keen on the whole formal photo studio vibe (which I’m really not), why not bring your photographer out to a beautiful local site? Natural lighting tends to be very flattering, and a skilled photographer will help capture everyone’s best sides in a much more candid, unposed way that reflects your family’s true personalities. My tip is to schedule your photoshoot for the golden hour for an extra sprinkle of magic, and a sense of perpetual cosy autumn!

Your home

OK, as a lifestyle blogger I’m obviously slightly biased here, but I think it’s important to keep track of things you particularly like about your home. Obviously things won’t always stay the same, and it’s good to mix things up, but keeping a record of beautiful seasonal displays or a room decoration project that turned out especially well is useful when you’re looking for future design inspiration or want to revisit a layout or display that made you especially happy. Plus, if you move in the future, your memories of your current home might fade – keep track of all your happy memories with lots of snaps. Bonus points if your pictures include people and pets!

Landscapes

Whether it’s a blazing scarlet sunset, the glittering waves or verdant rolling hills, I believe it’s important to capture those gorgeous moments in life. Some days it feels like the stars have aligned to paint you into the most beautiful scene, and a permanent record of that brilliance can give you the inspiration you need on a bleaker day. But get creative – there’s beauty in more than just the bright sunshine. Look at the way the light reflects off a wet pavement, or the long looming shadows of autumn when the sun slinks low in the sky, or the juicy dew on the grass first thing in the morning. If you’re feeling especially creative, this is the time to crack out your acrylics, watercolours, pastels or whatever else you have to hand and recreate the scene with your own hand – there’s hygge in being there, hygge in reflecting on the moment and hygge in creating something beautiful.

Selfies

No, selfies are NOT the devil! If you’re feelin’ the way you look one day, just take the bloody picture! Or if the prospect of turning that front camera on really isn’t for you, why not take a selfie with a friend? Maybe you’ve just perfected that eyeliner flick (if so, I take my hat off to you), you’re glowing with health and happiness after a day at the beach or your face has just fallen exactly how you want it to that day. To be honest, you don’t need an excuse. There’s nothing vain or superficial about taking the odd selfie – who is it hurting? Not that you ever need permission for matters such as these, but if you want the green light, you have Hello Hygge’s approval to get snap happy.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your phone, your fancy DSLR or your Polaroid camera (all the rage these days) and get snapping those hyggeligt moments! I’m looking forward to seeing all your photos on Instagram – you can find me at @specialkayaa.

Post written in collaboration with Bidvine. All thoughts my own.