targeting sprites from a method in the document class - null object reference - class

Question

I am trying to code a flash app entirely in the document class. I am using GestureWorks with a touch screen. When a user essentially presses a button it calls a method that should hide a specific graphic but not the graphic they touched.
Essentially I need a way to refer to a graphic on the screen using a method besides 'e.target'.
I am receiving this error: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
//This code works
private function photo1SpriteFlickHandler(e:GestureEvent):void {
var openTween:Tween = new Tween(e.target, "x", Strong.easeOut, 232, 970, 5, true);
}
//this code gives me a null object reference
private function photo1SpriteFlickHandler(e:GestureEvent):void {
var openTween:Tween = new Tween(photo1Sprite, "x", Strong.easeOut, 232, 970, 5, true);
}
//photo1Sprite has already been programatically added to the screen as so:
var photo1Sprite = new TouchSprite();
var photo1Loader=new Loader();
photo1Loader.load(new URLRequest("media/photos1/photo1.jpg"));
photo1Loader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE,loaderComplete);
photo1Sprite.x = 232;
photo1Sprite.y = 538;
photo1Sprite.scaleX = .3;
photo1Sprite.scaleY = .3;
photo1Sprite.blobContainerEnabled = true;
photo1Sprite.addEventListener(TouchEvent.TOUCH_DOWN, startDrag_Press);
photo1Sprite.addEventListener(TouchEvent.TOUCH_UP, stopDrag_Release);
photo1Sprite.addChild(photo1Loader);
addChild(photo1Sprite);
It can access photo1Sprite as 'e.target' when the button click happens on the photo1Sprite.
The problem happens when to click one button (not photo1Sprite) and have it effect photo1Sprite.
So I can make photo1Sprite react if my method is attached to it directly using 'e.target' but not if I am trying to call it from a method that was called from another element on the screen.

Answer 1

I'm not sure what the Tween class constructor expects as it first argument. Is it a Sprite instance or is it the name of a Sprite instance? In any case make sure that - in the context of photo1SpriteFlickHandler - photo1Sprite is 1) defined! and 2) refers to the correct thing.