New Orleans‘s cemeteries are referred to as “cities of the dead” as the imposing tombs containing multiple “residents” make them appear to be city like. As well, just as with a city you have your imposing mansions, family homes, apartments and condominiums, and yes even your slums and tenements. In fact, Metairie Cemetery, which can be seen as the bougie cemetery, contains what I refer to as the “Italian Slum” of the cemetery with its Italian Society Tombs and it’s wall vault containing mostly Italian names (as well as Louis Prima’s family tomb.
I got my start photographing in New Orleans as a ghost tour guide with Haunted History Tours (also did bicycle and cemetery tours) whilst falling in love with the architecture. I was particularly drawn to New Orleans’s cemeteries as a photographic subject because I really dig graves…I think they’re kind of groovy!
This gallery includes many photographs from New Orleans’s cemeteries but also from other cemeteries around the world that I encountered in my travels through this mortal realm.