Danish creative producer and photographer Frederik Darre shares why he cut back at work to stay home with the kids (and didn't regret it), how nature is his salve and the items he can’t live without
Welcome to our bi-monthly series "Take five" featuring inspiring Scandinavian tastemakers on the five life-enhancing items, habits or encounters that help guarantee a balanced, joy-filled life.
Sometimes the perfect picture isn't all breathtaking sunsets and great poses. Though there is no simple formula, a truly great image tends to have a sense of unflinching intimacy and truth – the same applies to a life well lived. In the end, it’s not really about the shiny accomplishments or major milestones, instead, it's about what sits between the lines; the pops of colour and sun-dappled lighting in life's bigger tapestry.
Frederik Darre knows this all too well. After his son Arne was born in 2021, the Copenhagen-based creative producer and photographer decided to take a career break to focus on what mattered most to him: being a family. Along with his girlfriend, Hanna Stefansson, a freelance content creator, the pair managed to carve out some precious time together. And now with two young kids at home, life is still busy, but Darre realises that there are certain essentials that he will stick to no matter what.
My grandfather’s watch
“I was recently given my grandfather’s old Seiko watch from my grandmother, and it has already become an essential of mine. My grandparents were a huge part of my upbringing, and my grandfather, Ole, was a very influential figure in my life. Unfortunately, he died from dementia three years ago – it does make me sad to think that he never got to meet my children. The watch itself is nothing fancy, but the way it conjures up his memory – his calm and happy nature – is really important to me.
“Last year, on the same date he died, my youngest son, Ole, was born. It's pretty weird how life works sometimes. My son was named after him, his great-grandfather, and they are already quite similar in nature.”
My manual camera
“The first Christmas Hanna and I were together, she got me a Leica M6 camera and ever since then, it has been my favourite camera. Everything is super mechanical, which means it is almost unbreakable. I’m not afraid to take it skiing or hiking in bad weather – that's a huge plus in my eyes.
“It is quite an expensive camera and since it doesn't have an automatic mode, you have to get your exposure and focus manually right, forcing you to focus on every shot and giving you full control over the camera. I recommend everyone who wants to get into photography to buy a manual camera to learn the basics of exposure.”
The great outdoors
“I grew up with nature very close by, with forests and lakes in the backyard. But since I have moved to the city, I've realised how much I took it for granted. Now I really need a nature fix every so often in order to survive urban life. The clean and fresh air is vital for my mental wellbeing.
“I’m the kind of person that doesn’t thrive inside a gym. I would much rather go for a run in the park or a bike ride outside of the city in order to get my thoughts right. Everything that takes me to nature makes me happy. I used to be much more competitive doing sports than I am now – now I tend to move for the sake of my mental health."
Comfortable footwear
“Life is too short to be cold and uncomfortable – I have discovered this the hard way. I have spent too much time working long hours with bad, fancy footwear and being outside walking the stroller in cold outerwear. Back in the day, I ran a small ski school in the Alps, and I developed huge problems with my feet from wearing ski boots all day. And working long hours on productions hasn't exactly made it better.
“Last year, I got a pair of ROA hiking boots – which were part of their Our Legacy collaboration – from Hanna and I've used them almost every day since. They have been a true blessing for my feet. I use them for almost everything, from long hikes in nature to small errands in the city, they are my go-to footwear."
Time with the family
“It might sound a little cliché, but I've really enjoyed the last two years with my children, working an absolute minimum ever since our first son, Arne, was born. He's two now and I feel we have built a very special relationship. It's one of the benefits of working freelance, and I would recommend all families to do something similar if it works economically.
“I’m more or less ready to kickstart my career again, and still, I don’t regret my time not focusing on it at all. Hanna and I often talk about how ‘normal’ people with two ‘normal’ full-time jobs manage to function. We have a lot of respect for those families.”