Stormie and Tiffani’s Grandview Wedding in La Vernia, Texas
A wedding story needs room to breathe. The setting, the people, and the small interactions all help explain what the day felt like.
Stormie and Tiffani’s wedding at Grandview Weddings & Events in La Vernia, Texas, is an opportunity to share their celebration and talk about one of my favorite tools for telling a complete wedding story: the 35mm lens.
From photographs that establish the setting to intimate getting-ready portraits, the 35mm gives me a way to bring you into the day.
Wedding Photography That Includes the Setting
When you choose your wedding venue, you’re choosing the backdrop for memories you’ll carry for years. I want your photographs to preserve that setting alongside the people who filled it.
A 35mm lens lets me include a couple within their surroundings while keeping them central to the photograph. By stepping back and composing carefully, I can show the space, the atmosphere, and the relationships between people.
Those wider photographs give the more intimate images context. You can see where the story happened before moving closer to the people at its heart.
Intimate Getting-Ready Portraits With a 35mm Lens
The same lens can also work beautifully during wedding preparations.
For me, intimacy comes from proximity, expression, and trust. With a 35mm, I can move closer for a portrait while keeping enough of the surroundings to preserve the feeling of the moment.
A photograph can hold someone’s expression alongside a meaningful detail or another person nearby. That context can become part of what makes the image matter.
I’m also deliberate about distance and placement. Moving too close with a wider lens can exaggerate facial features, so an intimate portrait still requires thoughtful composition.
Why the 35mm Is My Storytelling Lens
The 35mm has been a go-to focal length for me for more than 15 years because it encourages me to stay involved.
Instead of standing in one place and changing the framing with a zoom, I move. I look for a different angle, pay attention to the edges of the frame, and decide which parts of the scene belong in the photograph.
Sometimes the story needs the whole setting. Sometimes it needs a quieter composition centered on two people.
The versatility comes from how I use the lens. Changing my distance and perspective allows me to create variety while keeping a consistent feeling throughout the photographs.
As you look through Stormie and Tiffani’s wedding images, notice how the wider scenes and closer portraits work together. Each contributes something different to the story.
Watch: Why I Shoot With a 35mm
In my 35mm episode of Why I Shoot, I share more about why this focal length continues to shape the way I photograph weddings.
Vendors to mention:
Planning and Coordination:
Tina Humphrey @ Diamonds & Dreams
Sax:
Planning a Wedding at Grandview Weddings & Events?
If you’re planning a wedding at Grandview in La Vernia, or elsewhere in the San Antonio and Hill Country area, I’d love to hear what you’re imagining.
My approach combines documentary storytelling with thoughtful portraits, preserving the setting, the connections, and the moments that make your celebration yours.
Visit Joshua Michael Photography to explore my work and inquire about your wedding date.
