<![CDATA[HEIKE COFFEE PHOTOGRAPHY - Blog]]>Fri, 19 Sep 2025 06:00:31 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Gift Ideas - Family Photos Make the Perfect Gift!]]>Wed, 20 Jan 2021 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/gift-ideas-family-photos-make-the-perfect-gift

Family is Art

With Valentine's Day weeks away it's a good time to start thinking of heart-felt gifts. Naturally, being a photographer, my go-to gift is a family photo - though I am very happy to receive chocolate and flowers, hint hint. 

Buying a ready-made frame is an easy way to make your photo look great. I enjoy looking for new ways to adorn those precious moments for that special gift. Over the years I have begged my children to decorate photo frames and mats for a more creative, personalized gift for grandparents, aunts and uncles. Now that they are "too busy" to indulge me in an hour of arts and crafts I have found other creative ways to create meaningful gifts for loved ones.
My home office is surrounded by the things I love and years of cherished memories. I am going through some client photos now for some Valentine's Day gift inspiration.

Custom Frames

I LOVE this custom silver frame from Images of Greenwich! I framed three photos of our children and gave them to my husband for Father's Day. We had them hanging on our walls and now I have them around my office.

Marcos, at Images, is amazing and showed me other fun frames for portraits. Acrylic frames in red, white, blue and more are all on my list to try. We need more walls!
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Frame: Images of Greenwich

Acrylic Frames

This year I am giving our family acrylic frames for Valentine's Day. I found these beautiful reversible magnetic frames at Abigail Fox in Old Greenwich. I added a quote that sums up our family for a little variety in our photo displays. 

For the children's gifts I will select my favorite photo of them and add a motivational quote on the back.

Custom Acrylic Blocks and Image Cubes

I really love the below Acrylic blocks and photo cubes that my printer can create. I'm going through some photos now to see which ones to use for the next set of gifts. Stay tuned.
]]><![CDATA[8 Track Band at The Capitol Theatre - 11/17/17]]>Thu, 30 Nov 2017 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/8-track-band-at-the-capitol-theatre-111717
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A huge shout out of thanks to these 8 incredibly talented musicians for inviting me behind the scenes for their Nov. 17 show at The Capitol Theatre - a mecca for musicians and a pretty cool place for us regular folk. The respect, admiration and love they have for one another makes this one family I will never get tired of photographing... and hearing!
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Got ya.
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Ask Steph about his ice-cube + hot tea ritual.
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Sorry to disappoint. Will wanted to make sure we knew ... he is with the Night's Watch (for those GOT fans out there).
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Everyone gets a good luck hug.
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The mood right before they go on stage is pure magic. Check out the 8Track logo projected on the wall - sooo COOL!
The lights, the fog, the theater, the music - all combine to create some of The Capitol Theatre's magic... and 8 Track Band is out there doing what they do best, AND having FUN! It has been an incredible journey watching them evolve - remember "Cougar Magnet"? How about "The Dad's Band"?  From basements to headlining at The Cap. this band has heart and is the band to watch.
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Apparently talent is in the family. So loved watching Greg and his girls perform together. You Rock!
The Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider" dedication to Mr. G. was beautiful. I had spoken to Frank Gasperino just the week before about seeing the show - he was so excited to go. I trust he was there in spirit with a big smile dancing along to the music he so loved.
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8 Track Band singing "Midnight Rider" for Mr. G.
The Cap. is filled with treasures. I LOVE this place!
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Don't miss a beat -
sign up for the 8 Track Band emails through their website:  www.8trackband.com
]]><![CDATA[Cougar Magnet at Garcia's at The Capital Theatre]]>Mon, 06 Jun 2016 02:17:06 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/cougar-magnet-at-garcias-at-the-capital-theatre
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Hanging with the Cougar Magnet band before their last concert at Garcia's was a blast... so honored they asked me to take their new band photo! What could top that? Getting to listen to them rock while taking some action photos at one of the coolest venues around. You are in luck... they are back at Garcia's this Friday, June 10!
Buy Tickets Now... they are selling fast!
Don't skip a beat, sign up for their band announcements on their new website cougarmagnetband.com.
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]]><![CDATA[Kite Surfing at Tod's Point]]>Wed, 25 Nov 2015 18:19:34 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/kite-surfing-at-tods-pointLast Thursday was that perfect overcast sky for some photo taking. After drop-off I collected my camera bag and took off for Tod's Point. While there I ran into some Kite Surfers and got to watch and even capture some of the magic that happens when the wind combines with the water and air.

Below are some photos I took for Alec, one of Tod's resident Kite Surfers. Enjoy the show, I know I did!

Alec Weatherseed is the founder of Sound Sailing, LLC and offers sailing and kite surfing lessons.
Look him up!
]]><![CDATA[Decorating with Holiday Cards]]>Mon, 23 Nov 2015 21:35:51 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/decorating-with-holiday-cardsI would like to thank those of my uber organized friends for sending me their holiday cards — before Thanksgiving! You know who you are. Now the pressure is really on for me to get our card done and start decorating.

Getting holiday cards is like a gift each time I/we open the envelope — especially when I was fortunate enough to take the photos! Here is how I display all our friend's cards without worrying about messy tape on the walls... and it is an easy way to start decorating for the holidays.
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Last year's tree
I saw this holiday tree idea on pintrest.com a couple years ago and have been doing it ever since. It is a great way to decorate for the holidays and display all those festive cards.
All you need is some green garden twine, some mini command hooks and some clothes pins to clip the cards on the tree.

Thank you to everyone for sending me/us your cards! I love each and every one.
]]><![CDATA[Merging Portraits with a Beautiful Scene]]>Fri, 16 Oct 2015 13:23:02 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/merging-portraits-with-a-beautiful-sceneSometimes the scenery in a portrait can evoke a mood that creates a powerful photograph beyond the gorgeous smiles.

During an OG YOGA and Wellness yoga class this September, I was captivated by the overcast sky and cloud formations. Here the moody skies provide a tranquil backdrop for Tracy Bechtel's Dharma yoga class. The end result = zen.
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Just down the beach from the OG Yoga and Wellness class I found a seagull posing... "Fish pose"?
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The sunset over the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most gorgeous sunsets I have ever experienced. My children were more than happy to dance around on the beach for me so I could catch their spirit and the majestic colors from those final minutes of light.
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Big sky — a little fun during our final hours in Lido Beach, FL.
]]><![CDATA[Mazel tov! Spring Bat Mitzvah Photo shoot at Temple Sholom of Greenwich]]>Sat, 11 Apr 2015 14:23:18 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/mazel-tov-spring-bat-mitzvah-photo-shoot-at-temple-sholom-of-greenwichA big congratulations to a gorgeous girl (inside and out) and her beautiful family on an incredibly special day. I am honored to have been asked to capture such an important moment in their lives.
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]]><![CDATA[Valentine's Day Gift Ideas - Photography with Props]]>Mon, 26 Jan 2015 21:02:14 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/valentines-day-gift-ideas-photography-with-props
Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Hands on Pottery in Darien, CT has some really great gifts that your children can customize for Valentine's Day. We love giving frames as gifts and found the perfect one for Valentine's Day. A couple red paint dipped finger prints for hears and voilà — a personalized Valentine's Day frame.
Prop idea:
The kids are showing off some of their hand painted letters for our photo gift.
You can use any kind of heart and incorporate it within your photo for that personal touch and that perfect Valentine's Day gift.
]]><![CDATA[Family Photos at Tod's Point... in the Winter!]]>Fri, 16 Jan 2015 19:21:18 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/family-photos-at-tods-point-in-the-winterOk, ok... I am the first to admit it — when the temperature is below 50 degrees I really don't want to get out from under the covers. It took my mother to get our family out for a walk this crisp January day. The kids had a ton of fun and we all got some much needed fresh air.
Stay tuned...
I am hoping to go outdoors with the kids and my camera in the next snow storm... that is if I can pry myself away from my down comforter!
]]><![CDATA[Holiday Card Family Portraits at Tod's Point]]>Tue, 07 Oct 2014 15:42:03 GMThttps://www.heikecoffee.com/blog/family-portraits-at-tods-point This fall has been full of spectacular weather and tons of gorgeous smiles!
Here are some fun candid photographs from two recent Holiday Card photo sessions at Tod's Point in Old Greenwich.
A.M. Session at Tod's Point — the Gardens
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P.M. Mini-Session — the Beach
After our morning family photo session, we all came back to Tod's Point at 5:30pm... with grand parents in tow.
This 15-minute session captured all three generations enjoying each other and the beach.
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P.M. Session — the Gardens and the Beach at Tod's Point
For this next photo session, we started at 5pm and had some great adventures in the gardens at Tod's Point.
We were able to rally the boys for one more location... the "magic hour" on the beach, and captured some beautiful family moments in the sunset.
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