New Orleans Cemetery Photoshoots | Gothic & Halloween Portraits

Gothic & Gorgeous: New Orleans Cemetery Photoshoots

New Orleans doesn't need much help feeling like a movie set — but nowhere in the city leans into that atmosphere quite like its cemeteries. Above-ground tombs, wrought iron, moss, and centuries of history make for some of the most striking portrait backdrops anywhere in the country. Around Halloween, that gothic energy only gets richer — which makes it one of my favorite times of year to shoot here.

Why the Cemeteries Work So Well

New Orleans' historic cemeteries are unlike anything most visitors have seen — elaborate above-ground tombs, weathered stone, wrought-iron gates, and a stillness that feels centuries removed from Bourbon Street. It's dramatic without trying, which is exactly what makes it such a striking setting for portraits. The cemeteries in New Orleans feel more spiritual than eerie and it’s that difference that draws into the intrigue and respect. It’s a graveyard but it’s so much more. It’s history, it’s culture, it’s tradition.

I've shot friends' trips and couples' sessions here, and the results consistently look more like an editorial shoot than a typical vacation photo.

What to Wear

For cemetery sessions, outfit choice does a lot of the storytelling. My most recommended looks:

- All black — the most popular choice by far. It plays beautifully against the pale stone and ironwork, and it photographs as elegant rather than costume-y.

- All white — softer and more romantic, especially for couples; it reads almost ethereal against the aged stone backdrop.

Both work year-round, but they hit differently in the weeks leading up to Halloween, when the whole city already has that spooky-glam energy in the air.

Who This Is For

- Couples wanting portraits with real atmosphere and a flair for non-traditional and a little edge

- Friends & girls' trips looking for something more striking than a typical group photo

- Solo travelers who want a portrait session that actually feels like New Orleans, not a city backdrop

Planning Your Session

Cemetery sessions are shot during the day — New Orleans' historic cemeteries are open to the public typically between 8am and 3pm, so timing is planned around that window rather than golden hour or evening light. Cemeteries are outdoor locations and will be subject to the weather for that day. If a gothic, only-in-New-Orleans portrait session sounds like your kind of souvenir, I'd love to help you plan one!