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What goes on behind the scenes of a Farm & Fiber Knits photo shoot? Well, in this case, a few wooly friends played a big part (and so did a few umbrellas).
Farm & Fiber Knits Editors3 min read
Ever wonder what goes on during a photo shoot, or how we capture such beautiful images of the garments and accessories in the pages of Farm & Fiber Knits? Well, it comes down to a little bit of luck (in the weather department, at least), a whole lot of planning, and a big idea.
As editor Kate Larson planned the Fall 2025 magazine, she wanted the issue to have a home, be rooted in a special place. We reached out to shepherd Anne Choi, whose work in founding the New Jersey Fibershed and building spaces that welcome all to connect with fiber and agriculture, continues to inspire us. She agreed to host our photo shoot, and we were over the moon.
You can read more about Anne's work, the farm, and the sheep that welcomed us into their pasture in the Fall issue. Here, we wanted to give you a peek behind the scenes.
On a cloudy day in May, our crew headed an hour west of New York City to Bedminster, New Jersey, home of the bucolic farm known as Middle Brook Fiberworks. In Anne’s words, “The farm sits amidst scenic horse farms and historic estates. The eponymous Middle Brook runs through acres of old growth woods along the west side of the property.”
In between light rain showers, Anne showed us the layout of the farm and introduced us to the sheep that were in the pastures closer to the house and barns. As you can see, the flock loves seeing Anne arrive with a smile and a bucket (which likely contains something delicious, such as alfalfa pellets).
Anne with the flock. Photo by Gale Zucker
She also keeps lush gardens, and, while we were visiting, her greenhouse was brimming with seedlings—cotton, indigo, and more—that would soon be distributed to others interested in creating their own lush fiber and dye gardens.
Left to right: Gobrielle Deninno (styling production assistant), Karin Strom (project stylist), Gale Zucker (photographer), Kate Larson (editor), and Julie McCall (Gale’s assistant, who was keeping the lenses dry). In the foreground, Rose models the Vintage Maple Cardigan. Not shown is Yliana Mancini, Gale’s photo assistant who took this shot.
An outdoor photo shoot is risky—downpours, blazing heat, and more can create challenges. As the day went on, the clouds and intermittent rain didn't slow us down. Keeping the camera dry was key; keeping the humans dry, less so. Intrepid photographer Gale Zucker has decades of experience documenting sheep and shepherds across the country, so this damp day was no sweat!
Styling production assistant Gobrielle holds an umbrella over Gale.
This amazing team is literally behind the camera in the Fall issue. And Quin, official flock ambassador, was in front of the camera as much as possible. We are so pleased that she and new friend Rose García (happy human and sweater model extraordinaire) are featured on the cover. Go see the winning cover shot in our library; we hope you love it as much as we do!
At left, Gale takes several shots of Anne with Quin. At right, Gale's photo that ended up in the magazine.
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