Book excerpt: Reading Photographs is a clear and inspiring introduction to theories of representation and visual analysis and how they can be applied to photography. Introducing the development of photography and different approaches to reading images, the book looks at elements such as identity, gaze, psychoanalysis, voyeurism and aesthetics.Striking visual examples are used to illustrate the text and engaging case studies delve deeper into issues raised within each chapter, with brief activity points to allow the reader to apply relevant theories to their own practice.