'the best stories are the ones
that resurface from the dark'​​​​​​​
Unknown Collective was founded in 2020 by Valeria Valera, a Sydney-based photographer. Born in Rome to Venezuelan parents, Valeria grew up in multiple countries before ultimately landing in France, where she pursued her academic education and a corporate career in international business consulting. While Paris will always have her heart, Australia has been home for the past 13 years. Her incredibly diverse background and life experience brings a unique perspective to her work.
Valeria's creative journey as a photographer is driven by a deep appreciation for art, design, composition, and the way we interact with spaces. After years meticulously documenting her surroundings and eventually becoming certified in Interior Design, what began as a personal visual journal evolved into a full-time professional practice. Her aesthetic brings together the influence of her urban upbringing and her response to the built environment - capturing the essence of the space and dynamic interplay between light and shadow.

'I believe there is power in duality, in embracing our dark side. 
Instead of silencing it, we can interrogate it, play with it, create something new with it.
Through my lens and creative process, I uncover what lies in the shadows, give it a new identity, and leverage it to communicate (y)our reality in a meaningful and authentic way.' 
valeria valera