My name is Daniel Dumas de Rauly and I was born in 1941 in Lyon in France. I learned scuba diving with the CLUBMED (Cefalu in Sicily) when I was 17. Through CIP (a firefighters training program at Bendor Island) , I succeeded in October 1972 to obtain the then-2nd level of the FFESSM (French PADI) known now as level IV (advanced scuba diver for PADI). In April 2007, I became Divemaster PADI after having followed a cross-formation FFESSM-PADI in Carry-Le-Rouet with AQUA-EVASION. Since 2002, I am a certified IANTD NITROX diver and, since 2006, a certified CMAS NITROX diver.
After having discovered analog underwater photography in the '70s, I became distant from it because it was not possible for me to devote the time necessary to master it. In January 2002 I was retired and I revisited it with the advent of digital photography. In 2004, I discovered underwater videography with a Brazilian diver (friend of mine) who shot a small piece where I appeared as a diver (see this link), and that led me in 2009 to graduate from underwater photography to underwater videography.
In June 2007, I obtained the american SDI 'solo diver' certification, so that I could dive alone in waters where this certification is recognized. Indeed, I am not keen to the so-called 'buddy system' for the fact that on the one hand, as often the case, the 'buddy' diver skills are not well-known and, on the other hand, what could be more annoying for an underwater photographer/videomaker that one or more buddies who stir up sand and sediments with their palms ? I am well aware of how unsettling this stance is, especially in France, and I add that if any reason whatsoever makes me somewhat reluctant before going 'solo', I would not hesitate to cancel the 'solo' act and reverse to the 'buddy system'. Moreover, I suggest you to look at this link that says clearly what diving 'solo' is all about.
I became an airplane pilot (TT # 12 04 00 6773 dated 27-8-73) in the early '70s in Ivory Coast where I lived from 1964 to 1981, got an IFR certification in 1974 and became a professional pilot in 1975 along with a twin-engine certification on CESSNA 310. I stopped flying from 1983 to 1995 because my job did not let me do it anymore. Nevertheless, in 1992, I obtained my sky-diving license in the United States. I returned to flying in 1995 in Persan-Beaumont (France) to obtain ultra-lights certifications, later on. Lastly, Then I converted my airplane licence into a 3-axis ultra-light (ULM) plane license.
In 2005, with my G1, first French-made ULM with an extreme STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) capability, I started to fly over the French Southern Alps, from an FBO field named Gap-Tallard (LFNA) and that gave me the chance to discover the joy of mountain flying. Then, in 2008, I went from the G1 to the MCR-ULC, thanks to my friend Paul Prudent, tester for DYN' AERO, the company which manufactured the MCR.
It is in the USA where I lived and worked from 1984 that I met my first personal computer and since then, I never ceased to be passionnate about this digital tool and its fabulous possibilities and in 2002 I started to apply these to underwater photography/videography. In July 2009, I then decided to use my knowledge in data processing to create my own web site in order to make my videos available to any interested person.
