Photographing New Orleans‘ historic above-ground tombs requires strict adherence to property rules, active preservation efforts, and basic human respect.
Because the city rests near or below sea level with a high water table, burials historically took place above ground in ornate family vaults, society tombs, and wall crypts, making these “Cities of the Dead” iconic architectural treasures.
Access rules depend entirely on who owns and operates the cemetery. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, established in 1789 as the city’s oldest extant cemetery and the resting place of Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, is privately owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. Since March 2015, general public access has been restricted to prevent vandalism and tomb deterioration, meaning visitors may only enter accompanied by an authorized, licensed tour guide.
Professional, commercial, or wedding portrait photography at St. Louis No. 1 requires formal advance written permission and a permit from the Archdiocese Office of Catholic Cemeteries, with St. Louis No. 2 and No. 3 operating under similar Catholic guidelines.
Across town in the historic Garden District, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is owned and operated municipally by the City of New Orleans Department of Property Management, having experienced extended closures for essential infrastructure repairs, historic brick wall stabilization, and underground drainage improvements.
Metairie Cemetery, located off Metairie Road near the parish line, is privately owned by Lake Lawn Metairie and remains an active cemetery featuring Victorian, neoclassical, and Romanesque funerary architecture. Casual visitors are permitted during gate hours, but commercial or staged portrait photography requires prior approval through cemetery management.
Regardless of the location, etiquette rules prohibit leaning, climbing, sitting on, or placing heavy camera equipment on crumbling plaster or exposed historic brickwork. Visitors must keep voices quiet, stay on designated paved aisles, and immediately yield right-of-way whenever a family or funeral service is present.
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