Date
Copenhagen
CountryDenmark
- Reading
- 9 min
- Words
- 2,112
- Images
- 26
When I woke up on this Thursday morning, I had no idea I would be living my dream by the end of the day.
Becoming an international freelance photographer wasn’t some vague fantasy — it was the goal. I had been working toward it for years, and I had even made business cards back in Kearney declaring myself as one. But up until this point on the trip, it had mostly been talk and intention.
The big moment came when I met with Per, an editor from the Danish magazine Chili. He told me he wanted to buy one of my photographs and publish it. For the first time on the entire trip, my goal didn’t feel like something that might happen someday — it felt like it was actually starting to happen right now.
Later that day, I went to the Tuborg brewery to celebrate. The tour turned out to be just as fun as the Carlsberg visit the day before, but this time I had something real to celebrate.
I knew it was going to be a great day right after I woke up and saw this note from Camilla, written on a small piece of green paper — the same size as the notes my mom would write to me.
Camilla had left me a note to start my day!
Todd
A Note From Me To You :-)
Dear Todd!
G’morning! I bought some toast for you. My shelf is the 2 fridge (from kitchen), the one over the button. Take whatever you need. Please put your name on the blackboard if you want supper here tonight. They close the club at the time where it says Slut “ —-”
I called Per from Chili - he’s looking forward to seeing you at 11:00. If you get lost the number is: xxx-xxx-xx.
Hugs, Camilla :-)
My Photographs from today in Copenhagen, Denmark
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McFlags? Get this as a printI did a double take when I saw this. Two McDonald’s flags — complete with the Golden Arches — were flying above a building with a McDonald’s restaurant inside. I had never seen the chain flying its own flags like that before.
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A Wall of Brands Get this as a printAs I walked through the city, this large building caught my attention. The entire side of it was covered in colorful signs and logos — Tuborg Beer was prominently displayed across the top, with Coca-Cola, British Airways, and several Danish businesses below it.
I remember standing there for a moment, looking up and wondering what this building actually was. It felt like the side of the building had been turned into one giant advertisement.
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Crossing the Plaza Get this as a printI continued walking through Copenhagen and eventually came to this large open plaza. It was a wide, open space paved with bricks, with a tall tower structure rising from the middle.
People were moving in different directions — some walking alone, others in pairs or small groups. The buildings surrounding the plaza had a mix of older architecture and large advertisements, including the familiar Tuborg sign in the distance. It felt like one of those central gathering spots in the city where everyday life flowed through.
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An American Intrusion? Get this as a printThis Burger King sign stood out to me as I walked down the busy pedestrian street. The familiar logo made me smile for a moment — it was something I recognized from home — but at the same time it felt like an intrusion. Here I was in Copenhagen, surrounded by Danish architecture and culture, and suddenly there was this big, bold American fast-food sign hanging overhead.
A McDonald’s was just a short distance further down the same street. It was strange to see two major American chains so close together in the middle of a European city.
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More American Brands Get this as a printAs I kept walking through Copenhagen, I came across this Athlete’s Foot store. Another American brand had set up shop right in the middle of the city. The large signs above the entrance and the displays of running shoes and athletic gear made it stand out on the street.
It was becoming clear how many U.S. companies had already made their way to Denmark by 1994.
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Morning Musicians Get this as a printAs I walked through the pedestrian streets, I came across these three street musicians performing on the cobblestones. I stopped and watched a moment, smiling at them as I took this picture before moving on.
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Postcard Scene Get this as a printOne of the most culturally different things I noticed in Copenhagen was how many people rode bicycles — and how simple the bikes were. No fancy gears, no high-tech frames, just basic, practical transportation.
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A Colorful Contrast Get this as a printI spotted this convenience store, called ServiceKiosken, and was struck by the contrast between the plain brick building and all the colorful signs covering the front. Marlboro signs, lottery posters, and bright red-and-white stripes stood out against the dark brick.
An older man in a tan coat happened to walk past just as I took the photo, adding a nice human element to the scene.
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No Locks Needed Get this as a printWhat really blew my mind wasn’t just that so many people rode bikes — it was that almost no one locked them up. Here were dozens of bicycles left in this open rack, completely unattended, with no fear that they would be stolen.
Back home in Kearney, I always locked my bike, even for a short time. Seeing this level of trust was wild to me. It said something about the culture here that I found both surprising and impressive.
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Someone Else’s Art Get this as a printI spotted this brightly painted Volkswagen Beetle parked on the street. Someone had turned it into a rolling piece of art — the lower half was covered in colorful flowers, ladybugs, and grass against a red body.
It felt like seeing someone else’s version of fun, creativity, and a carefree spirit. I didn’t know who owned it, but I appreciated that they had taken the time to make something ordinary into something joyful and personal.
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Far From Home Get this as a printThis harbor full of sailboats was a completely new sight for me. Coming from Nebraska, where the landscape is mostly filled with cornfields and cows, seeing hundreds of masts lined up against the sky felt very foreign — in a fun way.
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The Edge of the Sea Get this as a printThis wide road ran right along the water, with a long row of trees separating the street from the sea. It was a calm, open scene that felt very different from what I was used to back home in Nebraska.
I liked how the trees created a natural boundary between the city and the water. The whole area had a quiet, spacious feeling that made me stop and take it in.
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Tuborg Brewery Entrance Get this as a printThis was the entrance to the Tuborg Brewery. The giant green bottle sculpture and the branded truck made it impossible to miss. Tuborg was founded in 1873, about 25 years after Carlsberg. While Carlsberg positioned itself as the more traditional and premium Danish beer, Tuborg developed a reputation as the younger, more fun, and party-oriented brand.
Interestingly, the two breweries merged in 1970 and are now both owned by the Carlsberg Group, though they still maintain separate brand identities and compete against each other in many markets.
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Kegs in Waiting Get this as a printI liked the symmetry of these kegs lined up and stacked so neatly, waiting to be filled. There was something satisfying about the order and repetition — rows upon rows of identical silver barrels sitting quietly in the sunlight.
It felt like a behind-the-scenes moment at the brewery, where everything was prepared and ready.
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That's a Lot of Beer Get this as a printThis was too good not to photograph. Massive stacks of green Tuborg crates were piled high in the brewery yard. I took this picture specifically for my Dome Crew brothers back home — I knew they would get a real kick out of seeing this much beer in one place.
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Inside the Brewery Get this as a printThis was the main production floor at the Tuborg brewery. The space was massive and filled with complex machinery, conveyor systems, pipes, and automated equipment stretching in every direction. In the distance, a few workers in blue shirts moved among the machines, tending to the process.
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Our Tour Guide Get this as a printThis was our guide at the Tuborg brewery. I thought he had one of the best jobs imaginable — he got to share his knowledge and passion for Tuborg with visitors every day, and then sit down with the tour groups afterward to enjoy a few beers together.
He looked completely relaxed and in his element here, which made perfect sense. I remember thinking that if I ever had to have a “real job,” this one wouldn’t be too bad at all.
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The Fifteen-Minute Challenge Get this as a printThe tasting portion of the tour was only 15 minutes long, so I moved quickly. By the time it was over, I had drunk six bottles of Tuborg — one of each variety they offered.
I wasn’t about to let a single minute (or bottle) go to waste.
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The 15-Minute Challenge Get this as a printI was determined to make the most of it. By the end of the session, I had a nice collection of empty bottles in front of me and a good buzz going. It was the perfect way to end the tour.
1994From my journal
DAY 44 / 10-20-94COPENHAGEN DAY 3
Today was awesome!
Camilla works for a magazine called “Chili,” a free publication put out in business schools, universities and high schools. It has about 195,000 readers (yeah, 195,000) between 18 and 24. She arranged for me to meet the assistant editor, Per Nielsen, who was really impressed with my pictures and wants to publish a few! I have to meet with the head editor next week, but it looks really promising!
After my meeting I took a bus over to the second largest brewery in Copenhagen, Tuborg. These tours are awesome. They take an hour and a half to two hours, the guides are smart and funny, you get to see how beer is made, you get to drink it at the end, and it's all FREE!
I was able to drink 6 bottles in today's 15-minute tasting!
Then I took a bus to the Town Center to walk around, but it was so cold I didn't stay long. I came back, slept for a few hours, then ate dinner. After that I went down to the TV room and watched a soccer match with some other guys. Then I watched the last half of the movie “Parenthood” — in English!Two English movies in three days — and both with Keanu Reeves.Then I went to bed.
One side note: things sure are expensive here. One U.S. dollar equals 5 Danish kroner. Here is what I spent: movie 65 kroner, one beer 20 kroner, 2 evening meals 20 kroner each, the Erotic Museum 45 kroner, the Round Tower 12 kroner, pizza 15 kroner, hot dog 11 kroner, hat 40 kroner, flowers 20 kroner, and four buses at 10 kroner each.
Also, there are more American stores here than I've seen anywhere outside of America. McDonald's, Burger Kings, 7-Elevens, Athlete’s Foot and Official Team Sports shops to name a few. But beware, the sign outside McDonald's said “Big Mac, Big Fry, and a Big Drink for 49 Danish kroner”, which equals U.S. $10!
JournalMy handwritten journal pages · 2 pages
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A Tuborg beer coaster from my brewery tour.
The coaster is meant to be used as a postcard — there is a place for a stamp and an address!
A label from a bottle of Tuborg Squash Appelsin beer, one of the many I sampled during my brewery tour.
2026Looking Back from 2026
This was a genuinely important day for me.
Meeting Per from the magazine Chili and hearing that he wanted to buy one of my photographs gave me the first real validation I had received on the entire trip. Up until that moment, becoming an international freelance photographer had still felt somewhat theoretical. That conversation made it feel possible. It made it feel real.
I remember walking out of the meeting with a mix of excitement and quiet disbelief. Someone in another country actually wanted to publish my work.
Later that afternoon, I went to the Tuborg brewery. It felt like the right way to mark the occasion. The tour was fun, the tasting was generous, and I left there in a good mood, feeling like the day had turned into something meaningful.
Looking back now, I can see how significant that day was. It was one of the first times on this trip that my dream stopped being just an idea and started becoming something tangible. It gave me a little more confidence to keep going.