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Ratchford Studio

Name: Ratchford Studio
Address: 208 Commercial Street, North Sydney, NS, B2A1B7, CA
Telephone: 1902-794-8880
Price range: $

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10/28/2026

Everybody, meet this cute little guy. ❤️

Yep, his name is Miles.

And those vehicles behind him? They belong to his grandfather, Johnny Paquette of Sydney Mines.

If you're from the Northside, chances are you know Johnny. And even if you don't know the name, you've probably heard about the Northside Boys Car Show — the huge annual event in Sydney Mines that just celebrated its sixth year this past August.

Johnny is one of the driving forces behind the Northside Boys and, from what I understand, the car show is very much his baby — or at least he's one of the proud parents. 😂

He's also just a super nice guy and a bit of a fixture in Sydney Mines. If you've ever driven by his place on Halfway Road, you know what I mean. It's one of the coolest spots around, complete with an incredible garage and some pretty amazing vehicles.

And that's where we photographed his youngest grandson, Miles.

Miles' mom, Jennifer, and her husband live in Halifax, and they had been wanting to do these photographs for quite a while. For Jennifer, this wasn't simply about getting cute pictures of her little boy.

It was about honouring her dad and capturing a little piece of their family's legacy.

And Miles?

Well... apparently the car gene made it to the next generation. 😂

He LOVES vehicles. Put him in his dump truck and the boy was in his glory. Watching him behind that wheel, I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time before we see him driving one of Grandpa's Mustangs or trucks.

We had the most beautiful fall day for this shoot, and Miles hung in there much longer than any of us expected.

Probably because cars are already in his blood. ❤️

I've actually photographed another generation of the family with these vehicles before — DJ's kids a couple of years ago — so being invited back to photograph Miles made this one even more special.

Now, technically, Miles isn't one of our Cutest Little Capers.

But I think he should be. 😉

When Jennifer originally booked this session, we hadn't launched our 2026 Cutest Little Caper campaign yet.

So Jennifer, consider this our official invitation.

You don't have to do another thing. Just say YES, and we'll donate $100 from this session to the TLC Fund through the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation — double our usual $50 donation — because we love supporting a fund that helps Cape Breton families when they need it most.

And one last sidebar about the Northside Boys...

Their event has grown into something much bigger than a car show. Cars, families, vendors, crafts, entertainment, prizes — it's become part of the fabric of Sydney Mines.

So good job, Northside Boys.

Good job, Johnny.

And Johnny... you might want to start training your replacement.

Because I think little Miles has his eye on the job. ❤️🚗

Have a Cutest Little Caper of your own — especially one with a story or an idea you'd love us to bring to life?

📞 902-794-8880
Or message us right here on Facebook.

10/26/2026

Ever meet a kid who just stands out to you?

An old soul.

A boy who somehow presents himself more like a young man — kind, courteous, agreeable, present. Looks you in the eye. Shakes your hand. And genuinely seems happy to be there.

That was 10-year-old Brandon.

His dad, Danny, contacted me this summer because he wanted to have a father-and-son portrait done.

And I have to tell you, that doesn't happen very often.

We've done Mom & Me specials over the years, but I could probably count on two hands — without using all my fingers — the number of dads who have taken the initiative to have a portrait done with their son or daughter.

Maybe that's a special I should do. 🤔

From the moment Brandon walked through the door, there was something different about him. He smiled, looked me in the eye, shook my hand and seemed genuinely excited to do this with his dad.

And I've been doing this long enough to know that isn't always how a 10-year-old feels about having his picture taken. 😂

But Brandon was all in.

Danny told me they enjoy going to the Black Spoon together, and apparently Brandon loves sushi — which again made me think, this kid is a little different.

They also love golfing together.

So we planned their session partly in the studio and partly at Seaview Golf Course.

I figured I already knew what their favourite portrait would be.

Two guys together on the golf course.

Because I remembered being a boy myself. I desperately wanted to be around the men at the racetrack — my dad and the guys his age hanging around the barn. I wanted to be accepted as one of the guys.

So naturally, I figured Brandon would feel the same way.

In the studio, I started with a portrait of Danny and Brandon standing side by side.

Two men.

But then something told me to try something different.

I said, "Brandon, what if I put you up a little higher and you put your arms around your dad?"

"Sure."

No hesitation.

He climbed up and gave his dad the biggest hug.

We finished the studio session, headed to the golf course and made some great portraits there too.

Then came their reveal.

I was convinced I knew which portrait they would choose for the wall.

I was wrong.

Brandon spoke up.

"I want the hug one."

I turned around and looked at Danny.

"That's pretty significant. I think that's worth listening to."

Danny agreed.

And that's the portrait they chose.

Not the two guys standing together.

Not the golf portrait.

The hug.

❤️

Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised.

From the moment I met Brandon, I knew there was something different about him. He wasn't afraid to show affection. He wasn't worried about whether hugging his dad was cool.

He just loved his dad.

And that made me think about my own father.

I was very close to my dad. I admired him tremendously. But when I was young, I sometimes had trouble expressing it.

My dad didn't.

He was a soft-hearted man who never had any difficulty showing love or affection. He could tell I wasn't as comfortable expressing those things, even though I felt them.

Looking back now, I wish I had been a little more like Brandon when I was 10.

There's something special about this young fellow.

I wouldn't be surprised if someday he's in politics, leading a company, or doing something none of us can predict right now. There's just something about the way he carries himself.

But whatever he becomes, I hope he never loses the part of himself that, at 10 years old, could look at a collection of beautiful photographs and say:

"I want the hug one."

So dads, maybe there's a little message in this one for us.

Hug your kids.

Celebrate them.

If you're a single dad, don't be afraid to have a portrait made with your boy or your girl.

And if you're a family man, maybe be the guy who says:

"Hey, hon... I think it's time we had a family picture."

Life moves ridiculously fast.

Take the pictures.

Give the hugs.

And don't wait until someday to show the people you love just how much they mean to you.

I could tell that evening how incredibly proud Danny was of his boy.

It's been a busy few months, and I didn't get around to sharing all the stories I wanted to share. I knew Danny was looking forward to this one.

Truthfully, so was I.

And this one wasn't hard to write.

Danny and Brandon gave me all the material I needed. ❤️

10/19/2026

Since I’ve been around for an incredibly long time 😂, I’m starting to see more and more of these wonderful full-circle moments.

Take Sean, for instance.

Fred and Ashley first brought Sean to me when he was just six months old. If I’m remembering correctly, it was his Auntie Janine who sent them my way.

That was 2009.

Sean was teething, his little cheeks were red, and we tucked him into my old apple basket with a little red blanket.

And that apple basket has a story of its own.

It had been in my studio since 1993, when I stole—well, borrowed indefinitely—my little brother’s laundry basket because I needed it for a photo shoot. 😂 Back then, putting a baby in an apple basket was apparently revolutionary photography.

Fast-forward 17 years.

Sean is now graduating in June 2027, and once again, proud Auntie Janine helped orchestrate the photo shoot.

Janine still lives here on the island, while Fred, Ashley and Sean live in Beaver Dam, New Brunswick. Sean was born there and it’s home, but Cape Breton is home too. I’m pretty sure he spends most of his summers here.

And this guy is an outdoorsman through and through.

He hunts. He fishes. He works in the woods. He loves helping his grandfather on the farm. He plays hockey for the fun of it, and he LOVES golf—enough that he’ll book a tee time by himself, show up and happily join whoever he meets.

That tells you something about him.

For his hockey locker-room portrait, we added his chainsaw, work boots and fishing rod. His dad apparently thought bringing a gun into the studio might be going a little too far.

I, on the other hand, thought it would have completed the picture perfectly. 😂

Because these portraits weren’t just about making Sean look good. We wanted them to tell you who he is.

And who is he?

He’s the kind of young man you’d want around.

Take a long road trip and get a flat tire? Sean would probably fix it.

Something needs doing around the farm? He’ll get his hands dirty.

He’s hardworking, easygoing, friendly and seems like the kind of kid who has never caused his parents too many sleepless nights.

I can certainly see why Auntie Janine is so proud of him.

And while we had everyone together, I snuck in a family portrait too.

Why not?

Life is short. Take the picture.

And Sean’s dad, Fred, knows better than most just how quickly life can change.

A few years ago, Fred was involved in a terrible farm accident. He broke his ankle and, much more seriously, got his hand caught in a machine and lost his arm.

I didn't ask him about it, but Fred volunteered the story—and then I noticed his T-shirt.

There was a little dinosaur with tiny arms on it, and it said:

“If you’re happy and you know it, clap your…”

And underneath:

“Oh.”

😂😂😂

I’m sorry, but that told me everything I needed to know about Fred.

Apparently, he owns several shirts that make light of his situation. He told me the people at Costco even got to know him and would wait to see what T-shirt he’d show up wearing next.

There’s something pretty wonderful about that.

He took something that could have been an incredibly dark chapter and decided humour was going to be part of how he and his family moved forward.

So yes, this post started out being about Sean.

But maybe that’s part of Sean’s story too.

Good people.

A close family.

Hard work.

Humour. (even if it is a little dark)

Not taking yourself too seriously.

And being the kind of person who can fit in just about anywhere.

From a red-cheeked six-month-old sitting in my old apple basket in 2009…

to this handsome, capable young man getting ready to graduate in 2027.

Full circle.

It was a pretty great way to spend a Saturday afternoon—seeing my old friend Janine again, welcoming Fred and Ashley back, and getting to know the young man that little baby in the apple basket grew up to be.

There’s a story for you.

Happy Monday, everyone. ❤️

10/18/2026

Do you feel like there’s something inside of you that needs to get out?

Maybe a side of yourself you’ve never really had the chance—or the courage—to show the world?

That’s one of the things I love most about Next Top Model.

Meet Christina Willis, one of our amazing 2027 Next Top Models.

Christina has a bit of history here at the studio. I first met her when she was only 15—a quiet, very friendly, somewhat shy young lady who was a RNTM participant!

There were other shoots too, and she also had a interest in photography, and even came along with even came along with me on photo shoots.

That little-girl sweetness is still there. But let me tell you, a LOT has happened since then. 😂

Today Christina lives on her own in Calgary and has built quite a life for herself. She has developed a strong social media presence around fitness, competed in fitness competitions and done extremely well. With her own social media platform she is a certified trainer!

And this gal is fit like an action figure.

I'll be honest with you—I wasn't flexing anything around her. 😂 I didn't need to emasculate myself any more than necessary.

But what impresses me most about Christina isn't simply how fit she is.

It's the determination and work ethic it took to get there.

Christina wanted to divide her Next Top Model experience into two shoots—one outdoors and one inside the studio.

We started outdoors in early September on one of those beautiful summer-ish Cape Breton evenings. Christina brought along her great-grandmother's camera, which was a wonderful touch because she has always loved photography herself. Combined with the vintage feel of her dress and the locations we chose, everything just seemed to fit.

We photographed right through until sunset.

Then came part two.

One thing about Christina has never changed: the way she walks into my studio.

That smile could disarm just about anybody.

She arrives with this wonderful energy and all these ideas and enthusiasm, ready to create.

Meanwhile, I'm standing there thinking…

"Hmm. I have to iron this stuff." 😂

That's me. Always the perfectionist.

For the second part, Christina wanted to explore something a little more dramatic and symbolic.

She has a very personal connection with the story of Icarus from Greek mythology—the young man who escaped imprisonment using wings fashioned from feathers and wax.

You'll have to ask Christina exactly what that symbolism means to her.

But I have my own little theory.

There was always something inside that quiet 15-year-old girl that wanted to get out.

And when I look at the woman she has become—the discipline, the confidence, the independence and the work she has put into transforming herself—I wonder if we're finally seeing that person emerge.

Christina wanted big wings, and I'm someone who likes to please. 😂

So…we gave her BIG wings.

We took some creative liberties with several of these images and allowed ourselves to have some fun with fantasy backgrounds and digital elements. Some of them may look AI-generated, and there are certainly creative digital elements involved.

But one thing is important to me:

We did not change Christina's bone structure, her face or her body.

That's Christina.

The fantasy is simply the world we placed around her.

And underneath all the muscles, confidence and accomplishments, I still see so much of that sweet young girl I met all those years ago.

Beautiful inside and out, and still possessing that essential part of her character that has always made her so absolutely charming.

Christina messaged me last spring about Next Top Model. She had a plan—or at least the beginnings of one. 😂 She threw some ideas at me, I threw some back, and away we went.

And that's exactly what this experience is supposed to be.

Next Top Model is a chance to express yourself. To experiment. To step outside your comfort zone. To show us a side of yourself that maybe the world hasn't seen yet.

So I'll ask you again…

Do you feel like there's something inside of you that needs to get out?

Maybe it's time.

Good luck, Christina.

It was an absolute pleasure creating with you again. ❤️

10/15/2026

Meet JACK, our newest Cutest Little Caper! ❤️

And I dare you — actually, I TRIPLE DOUBLE dare you — to look at this face and not smile. 😂

Man, this little guy was a RIOT!

Jack is busy, happy, full of personality… and let me tell you, this boy is a TANK. 😂 He comes from a line of big guys on both sides, so I’m not sure he had much choice!

I can already picture him someday playing football for St. Mary’s — the big guy with the soft heart. ❤️

Jack is Ralph Ivey’s grandson, who many of you will recognize from Ralph Ivey Auto Repair, and the whole family — including Mom and Dad, Emily and Robert — are pretty smitten with this little fella.

And here’s something we’re VERY proud of…

We’re approaching $40,000 raised through Cutest Little Caper to help families with children in crisis during their hospital visits. ❤️

We’re still accepting Capers from newborn to 8 years old!

$149.95 includes your planning session, photography session and a beautiful 8x10 portrait.

📞 902-794-8880 or message us!

NorthSydney FamilyPhotography ChildrensPhotography CapeBretonRegionalHospital

10/13/2026

Good morning and happy Tuesday, everyone! ❤️

I’m happy to introduce you to two of our very newest Cutest Little Caper entries this year!

Little Oliver came into this world only a few weeks ago, and this is his big sister, Miss Danny Rae! ❤️

Now, this isn’t Danny Rae’s first time in Cutest Little Caper. She’s been in a couple of times before, but it’s the first time I’ve seen her in a few years — and my goodness, has she ever blossomed into one happy little girl full of personality.

Actually, “full of personality” might be putting it mildly. 😂

Let’s just say charisma seems to ooze from her pores!

And she seems pretty happy about becoming a big sister to Oliver.

They were in the studio for almost two hours, which is a pretty long stretch for a little girl her age, but Danny Rae didn’t seem to mind one bit.

And I was especially happy that, within that same time frame, we were able to squeeze in a beautiful family portrait for them as well. With a brand-new baby and a busy little girl, you never quite know how much you’re going to accomplish, so getting that family picture of all four of them made the session feel even more complete. ❤️

Their parents, Alyssa and Chad, are a fantastic couple that I think the world of, and I have a long history with Alyssa.

I photographed her high school graduation portraits, and years later she came back to take part in our Next Top Model — something she wanted to do before she turned 30.

And now here she is… married to Chad and a mom of two beautiful children.

That’s one of the things I love most about doing this for as long as I have.

You photograph someone when they’re graduating and getting ready to head out into the world… and before you know it, they’re walking back through your door carrying their own little baby.

And this time, Alyssa brought me two. ❤️

Welcome to the world, little Oliver.

And congratulations, Miss Danny Rae.

I think you’re going to make one heck of a big sister. ❤️

10/10/2026

And as promised yesterday… here is Part Two of Kendra’s Ratchford Next Top Model shoot! ❤️

Yesterday I told you a little about how Kendra had been thinking about doing this for the last few years. Maybe the idea was just incubating until she finally decided the time was right.

Well, once she decided to do it, she certainly didn’t hold back. 😂

I also mentioned something her dad said that day that really stuck with me.

He had been playing baseball with his buddies in Glace Bay that afternoon, but after joining us for the shoot, he said this was the best part of his day.

I loved that.

I especially appreciate when the guys get into what we do here.

We guys tend to be pretty visual creatures. Sometimes we need to actually SEE something happening before we fully understand what goes into it.

And Dad definitely got to see what goes into it. 😂

Actually, he became PART of what goes into it.

At one point I needed a little more height to get the angle I wanted.

So…

I had him get down on all fours.

And I STOOD ON HIS BACK. 😂😂😂

Now THAT is a dedicated photography assistant.

I've included some behind-the-scenes pictures because they're simply too funny not to share.

He was an absolute champ, and I think all of us genuinely enjoyed having him there that day.

Mom was very much part of the creative team too. The flowers you see in some of these photographs were her idea, and she has always been incredibly enthusiastic about our photography and appreciative of what we create.

So this really did become a bit of a family affair.

And I love that.

These experiences are about so much more than showing up, standing in front of a camera and having your picture taken.

They're about the ideas.

The adventure.

The laughs.

The people who come along for the ride.

And sometimes… apparently… using your father as a piece of photography equipment. 😂

So this wraps up the fall chapter of Kendra’s Next Top Model experience.

The next time you see Miss Kendra…

it’ll be WINTER. ❄️❤️

And I can't wait to see what she comes up with for that one!

Address

208 Commercial Street
North Sydney, NS
B2A1B7

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

1902-794-8880

Website

http://www.ratchfordphotographic.com/

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