Don Meaux went from a life of photographing underwater shipwrecks to a more serene schedule photographing sunsets and sunrises at Cypremort Point, and the 63-year-old says he doesn’t regret a thing.

Meaux, who has had his photographs featured from Oregon to California, is one of Cypremort Point’s biggest advocates and loves the small community of friends that has grown there.

As a retiree, Meaux spends his mornings and evenings on his golf cart catching some of the most beautiful parts of the point and sharing his passion with all who will see it.

How did you get started in photography?

I started in photography in 1974, and from 1974 to 1994 I was an underwater photographer. I photographed shipwrecks and marine life all around the world. When I got older I stayed into photography but went strictly into “above the surface” photography. I don’t dive anymore. I’ve been living at Cypremort Point for about 15 years now.

How did you get into deep sea photography?

I got certified scuba diving in 1974. I had an underwater camera and I started taking pictures. I’ve been to the Gulf of Mexico and under the oil platforms, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Florida Keys, all over Florida, actually, including Panama City.

For the shipwrecks, I’ve dived on Spanish galleons from the 1600s, Civil War ships from the 1800s, World War II wrecks from the 1940s, I’ve dove on all of those. Back then it wasn’t digital cameras, if was all film and negatives. Over the years all my negatives got ruined just from exposure, they got real brittle. I like to say I’ve got a million memories but very few pictures.

What do you photograph now?

Now I mostly photograph at the point. I like to do sunsets, wildlife, shrimp boats, stuff like that. I got older and I started having children. Going hundreds of feet underwater is a risk, so I just decided to stay topside.

I’ve been at the point for 15 years. I’m retired now, and I’m always taking pictures along the bay looking for wildlife. My wife and I usually go out, I’d say mid-morning or mid-afternoon until sunset. The sun is at the best angle at that point for the best lighting and photography. 

When the sun is straight up it’s not the best, usually about 9-10 or about 3-4, that’s when the lighting’s at an angle.

I’m always out there on a sunset. I won the Best Louisiana Sunset Contest in the Times Picayune a few years back, where they had over 600 entries. For (The Daily Iberian’s) Eyes on the Teche, I’ve placed every time I’ve entered. I think I’ve won five times.

What do you enjoy about Cypremort Point?

The quiet and peacefulness of it. It’s a close knit community. Everybody’s like one big family. If anybody’s boiling crabs or crawfish you’re invited, you just pull up on your golf cart. I’ve always wanted to live on the water. I always said I wanted to live on the water when I retired. Luckily I got to do that before I retired, but I get to do it now too.