diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index 42cf342..ff0f07d 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ en:
       admin_welcome: Welcome back %{user}
       admin_home_title: Admin Home
       select_language_prompt: Please select a language
+      invalid_photo_url: is invalid or inaccessible
     general: 
       deactivate: Deactivate
       no_text: "No"
diff --git a/lib/muck-engine.rb b/lib/muck-engine.rb
index 13c1820..66abae5 100644
--- a/lib/muck-engine.rb
+++ b/lib/muck-engine.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 require 'muck-engine/models/language'
 require 'muck-engine/models/state'
 require 'muck-engine/models/general'
+require 'muck-engine/remote_photo_methods'
 require 'muck-engine/mailers/general'
 require 'muck-engine/controllers/application'
 require 'muck-engine/controllers/ssl_requirement'
diff --git a/lib/muck-engine/remote_photo_methods.rb b/lib/muck-engine/remote_photo_methods.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6920b58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/muck-engine/remote_photo_methods.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# Adapted from http://trevorturk.com/2008/12/11/easy-upload-via-url-with-paperclip/
+module MuckEngine
+  module RemotePhotoMethods
+  
+    extend ActiveSupport::Concern
+  
+    included do
+      before_validation :download_remote_photo, :if => :photo_url_provided?
+      validates_presence_of :photo_remote_url, :if => :photo_url_provided?, :message => I18n.translate('muck.engine.invalid_photo_url')     
+    end
+    
+    attr_accessor :photo_url
+
+    private
+
+      def photo_url_provided?
+        !self.photo_url.blank?
+      end
+
+      def download_remote_photo
+        self.photo = do_download_remote_photo
+        self.photo_remote_url = photo_url
+      end
+
+      def do_download_remote_photo
+        io = open(URI.parse(photo_url))
+        def io.original_filename; base_uri.path.split('/').last; end
+        io.original_filename.blank? ? nil : io
+      #rescue # catch url errors with validations instead of exceptions (Errno::ENOENT, OpenURI::HTTPError, etc...)
+      end
+  
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/Gemfile.lock b/test/Gemfile.lock
index 7311623..ce95d98 100644
--- a/test/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/test/Gemfile.lock
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ GIT
 PATH
   remote: ../
   specs:
-    muck-engine (3.3.10)
+    muck-engine (3.3.11)
       overlord
       validation_reflection
       will_paginate (~> 3.0.pre2)
@@ -70,13 +70,13 @@ GEM
       xpath (~> 0.1.4)
     childprocess (0.1.9)
       ffi (~> 1.0.6)
-    columnize (0.3.3)
+    columnize (0.3.4)
     configuration (1.3.1)
     crack (0.1.8)
-    cucumber (1.0.0)
+    cucumber (1.0.1)
       builder (>= 2.1.2)
       diff-lcs (>= 1.1.2)
-      gherkin (~> 2.4.1)
+      gherkin (~> 2.4.5)
       json (>= 1.4.6)
       term-ansicolor (>= 1.0.5)
     cucumber-rails (1.0.2)
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ GEM
     ffi (1.0.9)
     friendly_id (3.2.1.1)
       babosa (~> 0.3.0)
-    gherkin (2.4.1)
+    gherkin (2.4.5)
       json (>= 1.4.6)
     httparty (0.7.8)
       crack (= 0.1.8)
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ GEM
       treetop (~> 1.4.8)
     mime-types (1.16)
     mysql (2.8.1)
-    nokogiri (1.4.6)
+    nokogiri (1.5.0)
     open4 (1.1.0)
     overlord (3.0.2)
       httparty