Portrait photographer, Janie Stockton of The True Studio® in Gainesville and Middleburg, Virginia is the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Professional Photographers of America (PPA) Directors Award. A true recognition of how giving of yourself and your talents and looking for nothing in return can alter your life forever.

Janie Stockton, founder and lead photographer of The True Studio, said, "I'm humbled and honored to be presented with such a prestigious award. I'm just so thankful that I was able to do something to brighten the days of all those who lost so much during the nightmare that was Hurricane Katrina."

As they watched Hurricane Katrina blow itself out from the safety of their home, Janie's young children commented that it was so sad that all those now homeless people probably lost all of their family pictures too and that "mommy needed to take some new pictures for them."

At that suggestion, Janie called Habitat for Humanity and told them that The True Studio wanted to help. A few days later, Janie received a call from a senior producer at the Oprah Winfrey Show asking if she would be willing to partner with Habitat for Humanity and Oprah's Angel Network and provide portraits for a number of the Hurricane Katrina victims.

After half a dozen trips to the Gulf coast, Janie and her husband Heath's lives had been changed forever. The Stockton's recall that the people they met, most of whom had just lost everything, were some of the most kind and giving people that they'd ever met.

"It started out as a way to give back, but it became one of the best learning experiences of our lives," Janie said. "We gave of ourselves and received ten-fold in return."

The True Studio is on the web at http://www.thetruestudio.com.