Every year, photographer and mother Nancy Borowick heads into her son’s birthday with the same dream: make photographs that feel as special as the day itself. And every year, the reality of hosting, parenting and party-wrangling gets in the way.
“It’s so easy for me to shoot the party with my phone, but then I look back at the photos and I’m like, these are all garbage. They’re not special,” says the Sony Artisan with a laugh.
This year, she tried something different: keep the RX1R III over her shoulder from start to finish. “It’s so little. It’s so light. I don’t have to worry about it slinging around and hitting anyone in the face,” she says. “I could have it easily accessible while also carrying a bowl of astronaut ice cream or helping my six‑year‑old recover from a tooth incident at the very beginning of the party.” We sat down with her for the full scoop on the camera she says is perfect for birthdays, holidays and family moments. Keep reading as she takes us through the day of the party.
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Inside-outside light, one camera
The party moved between dim interiors and a bright backyard pool – classic recipe for blown highlights or lost shadows. “My most favorite thing about Sony is the dynamic range,” Borowick says. “I can recover the detail in those highlights and those shadows.” That confidence, rooted in her film background, let her stay present. “I was so excited about the camera because it did everything that I wanted it to do.”
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Autofocus that keeps up with kids
Knowing she’d be multitasking, Borowick set the RX1R III to continuous autofocus. “There’s going to be so much movement. I want to capture these hilarious moments, and I’m going to have to have one hand available for all the other things that come with being a host,” she says. She also used high-speed bursts to catch subtle expression changes: “Kids move really fast…even the slight blink or the slight turn of expression will make or break it. Memory is cheap – I can go back and check later.”
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Creative play: macro, reflections and bubbles
One unexpected favorite came from a household rule: no bubbles in the house. “The kids were shooting bubbles at our big glass doors,” she says. “My initial thought was, oh no – we just cleaned these windows. But then I noticed the light reflecting through the bubbles.” She flipped the RX1R III’s lens into macro and pressed right up to the window. “Suddenly I could get right up to the window, and I was photographing these bubbles so sharply. They’re beautiful and joyful – such an unexpected photograph.”
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Subject isolation when life is messy
In the chaos of a party, a wide aperture helps direct attention. “I love shooting open wide… on this camera you can go to 2,” she notes. “Sometimes shooting that wide will let you focus in on a moment and kind of blur out the background when you can’t really blur it out in real life.”
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Pool-proof fun with a lightweight bag
Knowing the pool would be a focal point, Borowick brought a small, flexible underwater bag for the RX1R III. “I took my beautiful new camera into the pool,” she says. “Pool photos are so fun – especially at a party. Kids will repeat an action that’s fun for you. I was like, you guys jump in the pool, I’ll photograph you underwater. They did that on repeat for like 20 minutes. I got it wrong until I got it right.”
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Storytelling means details – and parents, too
Beyond the action, Borowick used the RX1R III to honor the work behind the scenes. “I put a lot of effort into the spread – outer space theme, rocket fruit skewers, astronaut ice cream,” she says. “The camera made it easy to take lovely detailed shots of my hard work.” And she made sure to photograph the people who are rarely in the frame. “Moms are never in the photo. Any little moment I can include that has mom in the photo, I know they appreciate.”
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
A discreet, high-quality everyday tool
The RX1R III is now her go-anywhere camera. On a recent assignment where she had to deliver JPEGs, she brought a full kit – and then mostly used the RX1R III. “To them, I just looked like one of the vacationers, which was freeing,” she says. “I could make beautiful photographs without stressing anyone out. And the quality of the JPEGs were stunning.”
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Holiday-ready, hands-free
With the holidays on deck, Borowick’s plan is simple. “I’m just bringing the RX1R III,” she says. “I don’t even need my camera bag – just over my shoulder with a full battery and an empty memory card, and I’m good to go.” Then she jokes about the universal truth of parenting on the move: “Mom always becomes like a coat closet.”
Photo by Nancy Borowick. RX1R III.
Practical tips from Nancy’s birthday playbook
1. Pre-set for speed: Autofocus: Continuous AF for constant movement.
2. Drive mode: High-speed burst to catch micro-expressions.
3. Aperture: Use a wide aperture for subject isolation in busy scenes.
4. Embrace the light swings: Trust the camera’s latitude to hold highlights and shadows as you move from indoors to outdoors.
5. Look for layers and reflections: Shoot through windows or glass doors; switch to macro for close-up sparkle on bubbles, decorations, or cake details.
6. Make the pool (or somewhere else) a photo set: A lightweight underwater bag lets you shoot safely in water and capture playful sequences kids will happily repeat.
7. Tell the whole story: Photograph the decor you worked hard on, the quiet in-between moments, the parents with their kids, and yes – even the tears.
8. Travel light, shoot more: Keep the RX1R III cross-body all day to be ready when the moment happens.
See more of Nancy Borowick's work on her Alpha Universe Profile, Instagram @nancyborowick and at nancyborowick.com.
Get the perfect camera to capture the holidays or your next family gathering – purchase the RX1R III.
