this is var_dump($node): object(stdClass)#11 (10) { ["nid"]=> string(2) "44" ["node_created_created"]=> string(10) "1181361604" ["node_created"]=> string(10) "1181361604" ["node_data_field_photoset_field_photoset_fid"]=> string(2) "57" ["node_data_field_photoset_field_photoset_title"]=> string(0) "" ["node_data_field_photoset_field_photoset_alt"]=> string(0) "" ["node_type"]=> string(8) "photoset" ["node_uid"]=> string(1) "2" ["type"]=> string(8) "photoset" ["uid"]=> string(1) "2" } this is var_dump(node->field_photoset): NULL