Behind the Assignment: How Crises Spark Renewal at a Sixth-Generation Family Lumber Firm
I recently photographed an editorial assignment for the business section of The Globe and Mail, telling the story of Chisholm Lumber, a sixth-generation family lumber firm based in Roslin, Ontario, just north of Belleville. The piece explores how this long-standing family business has navigated fires, transitions, and economic shifts — and how each moment of crisis has sparked renewal rather than decline.
Assignments like this are exactly why I love editorial and photojournalism work. They bring together real people, real locations, and stories that sit right at the intersection of heritage, industry, and community. From wide frames of the lumber yard and mill structures, to portraits of the current generation of leadership on site, the goal was to show both the scale of the operation and the human side of a 168-year-old company.
My approach on this shoot was to keep the coverage honest and grounded in the environment. That meant using the natural lines of stacked lumber, the movement of material through the yard, and the textures of the mill itself as part of the visual story. I focused on a balance of:
Environmental portraits of Chisholm family members
Contextual scenes that show how the yard operates day to day
Detail images that speak to the age, resilience, and ongoing investment in the site
As a photographer based in the Bay of Quinte region, it’s meaningful to document stories like this close to home. Roslin, Belleville, and the surrounding communities are full of businesses with deep roots and multi-generation histories. Projects like this one highlight the kind of editorial and business storytelling I provide for publications, content studios, and organizations across Quinte West, Belleville, Prince Edward County, and Eastern Ontario.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Story by: Emily Latimer
📎 Read the Published Article:
How crises spark renewal at this sixth-generation family lumber firm
Below is a gallery of selected images from the assignment.
