There has been much confusion about Stanislaw Walery as being the French photographer, Lucien Walery, of risqué fame. They are not one and the same. Stanislaw Walery was very well known for his portrayal of the rich and famous, including British actresses but not of a risqué nature.

Stanislaw Julian Ignacy or Count Ostrorog, known as Walery, was born in 1863, the first two children, to Stanislaw Julian Ostroróg and his wife, Waleria Teodozja Gwozdecka. Although he was born in England, but his early youth was spent in Poland learning his native tongue of Polish.

His father, a successful photographer in England, adopted the pseudonym name of Walery taking it from his wife's first name, Waleria. The son then followed adopting the same name for his professional work.

In 1871, during the Commune, the young Walery was sent to Paris to study. Afterwards he returned to Woolwich where he obtained a commission in the Royal Artillery. It was his father's intention that he remain in the Royal Artillery but Walery could not bear the idea of his father struggling in his business so he resigned from the army.

The next two years were spent studying under an eminent chemist in Paris, learning all the technicalities of portraiture as well as every other branch of photography. He returned to England to join his father in his photography business.

Success awarded his father's efforts and Walery found his help was not needed in the business so he accepted the proposal o f a friend and went to Mexico for a year, helping in the construction of a railway and the opening of a colony.

The next few years Walery spent with his camera and surveying instruments traveling South Africa, Natal, and Zululand. He returned to England in 1890, upon the death of his father, taking over management of the photography business on Regent Street, London.

From 1890-1900, Walery worked with Albert Ellis on Baker Street in London producing portraits of the most famous society people of London including the Royal family. For four years, from 1890-1894, he also worked to develop a photogravure process for the reproductions of art, although this effort did not mature.

Stanislaw Julian Ignacy, Count Ostrorog, Walery died in 1935.