I Spy an Alpaca!

Have you heard? Farm & Fiber Knits magazine is now quarterly! Our Spring issue is at the printer, and it will be headed to mailboxes and inboxes oh-so-soon! In the meantime, we wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes peek at the photo shoot for our first quarterly issue.

We are grateful for the support of our subscribers, which helps us to bring you more projects, feature articles, and tutorials from knitting designers and teachers you love—now four times a year in print. Not yet a subscriber? Learn more here.

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A typical issue of Farm & Fiber Knits requires two distinct types of photo shoots: what we refer to as a “model shoot,” which takes place on-location at a farm, and a studio shoot for close-ups and details.

The Farm Scene

During the model shoot for the Spring 2026 issue last November, we had the good fortune of getting a glimpse into life on an alpaca farm at Chakana Sky Alpacas, a family-run farm near the quaint little town of Chester, Connecticut. Established in 2016, Chakana Sky is “a small farm, committed to the responsible breeding and care of our alpacas [in order] to provide exceptional animals, fiber products, and services,” according to owners Bill and Janet Bernhart.

This shot of Gale the photographer is from Kelly's modeling viewpoint, with these sweet faces watching every move. Photo by Kelly Jensen Sembos

Turns out the Bernharts’ Huacaya alpacas love to socialize. Visitors are welcome at the farm (with advance notice), so the alpacas politely hung around with the team the whole time we were shooting in their barnyard. Photographer Gale Zucker says, “It was delightful! And they posed patiently when the camera was pointed their way.”

Click on the images below to learn more.

Shooting at farm locations has its challenges. Gale says, “I should explain that it was a bitterly cold, windy day while we were shooting, which is why I am so bundled up and also why the three of us look so thoroughly windblown in the wrap shot (shown at top). In fact, we had to go to a tavern in nearby Chester and order soup to thaw out immediately following that picture!”

Gale photographs Kelly in the barn as the alpacas look on. See if you can spot this shot in the new Spring issue, coming February 5th (hint: Kelly is modeling a scarf). Photo by Yliana Mancini

In the Studio

Nestled up against the foothills of the beautiful Rocky Mountains sits Fort Collins, Colorado. This is where Long Thread Media is based, and where most of our close-up and detail shots take place.

A whole crew shows up on location, from the photographer and photo stylist, to the art director, editorial staff, and photo assistant.

Here, Tiffany models a pair of socks that will appear in the upcoming Spring issue while Katrina holds a light reflector (see her hand in the far left corner?). Photo by Matt Graves

Shoot days in the studio can be long. Our photographer Matt Graves provides the epic soundtrack and the laughs, with frequent quips that keep the mood lighthearted. Photo assistant Katrina keeps us all organized and on task, and the art director and stylist work together to create the scene with pleasing backgrounds and props. And the editors? Well, we make sure the items are positioned so they accurately represent the story we are trying to tell. Since we are all knitters, we make sure that the important elements of the knitwear are photographed. It really does take a village!

While photographer Matt adjusts the lighting, the art director and photo stylist work together to create a pleasing scene, making many small adjustments before getting it just right. Will you be able to spot this photo in the Spring issue? Photo by Matt Graves

How can you get your hands on this issue? Subscribers can check their inboxes on February 5th for their digital copy, and watch their mailboxes in the coming weeks for a printed copy. You can also visit the Farm & Fiber Knits Shop on February 5th to purchase a single issue of Farm & Fiber Knits Spring 2026.

Resources

• See more of Chakana Sky Alpacas in the Spring 2026 issue of Farm & Fiber Knits.

• Find out more at ChakanaSkyAlpacas.com.

• Watch this short video, made by a local news team, to learn more about the farm and Bill’s herd.