# Ok, could be better
local $/;
open ( FH , '/path/to/some/image' ) or confess $!;
binmode FH or confess $!;
my $image = readline *FH;
close FH or confess $!;
return $image;

# Better
open ( FH , '/path/to/some/image' ) or confess $!;
binmode FH or confess $!;
my $image;
read FH, $image, -s FH;
close FH or confess $!;
return $image;

# Best
open ( FH , '/path/to/some/image' ) or confess $!;
my $image;
read FH, $image, -s FH;
close FH or confess $!;
return \ $image;