Stanislaus Julian Ignacy or Count Ostrorog, known as Walery, was born in 1863, the first two children, to Stanislaw Julian Ostroróg, a successful photographer in England, and his wife, Waleria Teodozja Gwozdecka. He was born in England, but his early youth was spent in Poland learning his native tongue of Polish. His father 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 service but Walery could not bear the idea of his father struggling in his business so he resigned from the army and spent the next two years 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 of 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, 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, a very sucessful portrait photographer in England. He was NOT the Walery of French fame, Lucien Walery.