How do images shape identities, politics and commodities? In today's era of visual abundance, this book offers the tools to analyze the images that saturate our lives. With 18 richly contextualized case studies spanning global activism, political spectacle, lifestyle branding, and digital self-representation, it empowers readers to critically engage with visual media culture. In this second edition, you'll discover: Six brand-new case studies, from the performance of masculinity by world politicians, to how identity is negotiated on TikTok; A research methods toolkit covering visual semiotics, multimodal analysis, and mixed methods, with clear comparisons to guide your choice; Global perspectives, exploring international climate activism, collective imaginations of Africa and Europe, and how wars are visualized; Activity boxes which apply theory to practice. Aimed at students and researchers of media, communication, and cultural studies, this book equips readers to navigate both the impact and implications of visual images in the twenty-first century.