Monni knew she wanted to be a photographer since high school. In 1972 there weren’t many women photographers. When she needed a passport photo, she went to a portrait studio in Oceanside, CA. A woman answered the door and welcomed her inside. Monni couldn't believe she owned the studio. She encouraged her to study at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. Then, in 1978, she graduated from Brooks with a degree in photography and had dreams of becoming the greatest photographer ever. However, when she got married and pregnant that same year; she put her dream on hold while she raised her four children. She continued to hone her craft while cataloging their lives, their friends' lives and her world through her photographs.

As soon as her youngest received her driver’s license, she embarked on her career as a photographer. Having come up with the idea of “Naturally Photography" while at Brooks, she was finally able to make it a reality. In February 2015, the Professional Photographers of America certified Monni as a Master Photographer.