Paris Achenbach

Hey! I’m Paris Achenbach, born and raised in Washington, DC, and living in New Orleans (mostly) since 2014. In a nutshell I’ve spent the majority of my life fighting the pressure to categorize myself and pursue one sole thing. In college, I studied both geology and English (and spent a lot of time playing piano), and since then, I have spent roughly half a decade working in construction, landscaping, and farming. I also have been working on breaking out of my stage-fright shell as I’ve been writing and playing music around NOLA (you can sometimes find me on the piano, or with my guitar, at Old Arabi Bar, the Starlight, and Sidney’s Saloon, among other venues!).

Some people think it’s crazy to have so many interests, but truthfully I just don’t know any other way to live. I have a thirst for the varied experiences our world offers, and love finding bridges from seemingly “opposite” things, like science and the arts. Geology, as such an imaginative all-inclusive science, always felt related to poetry and even spirituality for me. And let me just say, farming for several years in the South has given me an all-new appreciation for the blues and music that has been generated from this land.

But underlying of all these passions and interests has always been photography. That’s the beautiful thing about it of course - you can bring a camera anywhere, while you’re exploring anything and everything. I have been taking photos seriously since 10th grade (13 years ago now!) (I’m not counting my Polaroid camera that I got when I was 8) - of everything from brachiopods and ammonites to large rowdy wedding parties to punk shows to the tempestuous clouds that form over the Mississippi River.

If you like my work and philosophies, and are interested in booking me as a wedding photographer, or collaborating with me on a project, or just generally want to say hello, please drop me a line in my contact form! I would love to hear from you.