Marie-Claire Montanari came to New York in 1968 to work at the United Nations. She began studying photography seriously in 1973, taking workshops with Harold Feinstein, master printing with George Tice and lighting with Phillip Halsman.She then became a student and friend of Lisette Model who followed her work for many years. After she first started photographing herself she then decided to turn her camera toward the bodies of other women.