image.data won't load

edit

I'm sure this has been asked before but my basic sample 'load image' code keeps failing.

#include "opencv2\core\core.hpp"    
#include "opencv2\highgui\highgui.hpp"    
#include "iostream"

using namespace cv;    
using namespace std;

int main(int argc, char** argv)
{

    if( argc != 2)
    {
     cout <<" Usage: display_image ImageToLoadAndDisplay" << endl;
     return -1;
    }

    Mat image;
    image = imread(argv[1],CV_LOAD_IMAGE_COLOR);   // Read the file

    if(! image.data )                              // Check for invalid input
    {
        cout <<  "Could not open or find the image" << std::endl ;
        cout << image.size();
        return -1;
    }

    namedWindow( "Display window", WINDOW_AUTOSIZE );// Create a window for display.
    imshow( "Display window", image );                   // Show our image inside it.

    waitKey(0);                                          // Wait for a keystroke in the window
    return 0;
}

This code always errors at at the second test (! image.data). The image.size() returned is [0x0]. I have tried both .jpg and .bmp images that are definitely in the path (same dir as the .exe)

I googled around and cannot find anything. My code compiles fine. I am working in VS2008 (Win32) for various necessary reasons.