`This is a splendid book. It is both intellectually sophisticated and written in an extremely accessible manner′ - Professor Jim McGuigan, Loughborough University `Eloquently written, admirably clear, passionately argued, Schirato and Webb have given us one of the best textbooks on the emergent field of visual culture. Smart, clear and relevant examples challenge readers to question their visual environments and become critics and creators themselves′ - Sean Cubitt, University of Waikato In a world increasingly preoccupied with the visual, it has become essential to understand the dynamics of images and be able to interpret them skilfully. The authors outline our relationship to the visual from ancient times to the cyber-present. Understanding the Visual shows the reader how to analyse the structure, conventions, contexts and uses of the visual in western cultures. Richly illustrated and crossing the fields of cultural studies, communication and media studies, film, art, design, and sociology the authors show how to make sense of visual objects of all kinds.