XML reader was assuming photos were local

app/models/photo.rb

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ class Photo < Post
   include MongoMapper::Document
   mount_uploader :image, ImageUploader
   
-  xml_reader :remote_photo
+  xml_accessor :remote_photo
   xml_reader :album_id 
 
   key :album_id, ObjectId
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ class Photo < Post
   end
 
   def remote_photo
-    User.owner.url.chop + image.url
+    @remote_photo ||= User.owner.url.chop + image.url
   end
 
   def remote_photo= remote_path
+    @remote_photo = remote_path
     image.download! remote_path
     image.store!
   end