diff --git a/pixstrip-core/src/discovery.rs b/pixstrip-core/src/discovery.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..21fc102
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixstrip-core/src/discovery.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+use walkdir::WalkDir;
+
+const IMAGE_EXTENSIONS: &[&str] = &[
+    "jpg", "jpeg", "png", "webp", "avif", "gif", "tiff", "tif", "bmp", "heic", "heif", "jxl",
+    "svg", "ico",
+];
+
+fn is_image_extension(ext: &str) -> bool {
+    IMAGE_EXTENSIONS.contains(&ext.to_lowercase().as_str())
+}
+
+pub fn discover_images(path: &Path, recursive: bool) -> Vec<PathBuf> {
+    if path.is_file() {
+        if let Some(ext) = path.extension().and_then(|e| e.to_str()) {
+            if is_image_extension(ext) {
+                return vec![path.to_path_buf()];
+            }
+        }
+        return Vec::new();
+    }
+
+    if !path.is_dir() {
+        return Vec::new();
+    }
+
+    let max_depth = if recursive { usize::MAX } else { 1 };
+
+    WalkDir::new(path)
+        .max_depth(max_depth)
+        .into_iter()
+        .filter_map(|entry| entry.ok())
+        .filter(|entry| entry.file_type().is_file())
+        .filter(|entry| {
+            entry
+                .path()
+                .extension()
+                .and_then(|ext| ext.to_str())
+                .is_some_and(is_image_extension)
+        })
+        .map(|entry| entry.into_path())
+        .collect()
+}
+
+pub fn has_subdirectories(path: &Path) -> bool {
+    if !path.is_dir() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    std::fs::read_dir(path)
+        .map(|entries| {
+            entries
+                .filter_map(|e| e.ok())
+                .any(|e| e.file_type().is_ok_and(|ft| ft.is_dir()))
+        })
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
diff --git a/pixstrip-core/src/lib.rs b/pixstrip-core/src/lib.rs
index 6871bbf..2c6699f 100644
--- a/pixstrip-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/pixstrip-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 pub mod config;
+pub mod discovery;
 pub mod error;
+pub mod loader;
 pub mod operations;
 pub mod pipeline;
 pub mod preset;
diff --git a/pixstrip-core/src/loader.rs b/pixstrip-core/src/loader.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f5098a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixstrip-core/src/loader.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use crate::error::{PixstripError, Result};
+use crate::types::{Dimensions, ImageFormat};
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct ImageInfo {
+    pub dimensions: Dimensions,
+    pub format: Option<ImageFormat>,
+    pub file_size: u64,
+}
+
+pub struct ImageLoader;
+
+impl ImageLoader {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self
+    }
+
+    pub fn load_info(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<ImageInfo> {
+        let metadata = std::fs::metadata(path).map_err(|e| PixstripError::ImageLoad {
+            path: path.to_path_buf(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+
+        let reader =
+            image::ImageReader::open(path).map_err(|e| PixstripError::ImageLoad {
+                path: path.to_path_buf(),
+                reason: e.to_string(),
+            })?;
+
+        let reader = reader.with_guessed_format().map_err(|e| PixstripError::ImageLoad {
+            path: path.to_path_buf(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+
+        let img = reader.decode().map_err(|e| PixstripError::ImageLoad {
+            path: path.to_path_buf(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })?;
+
+        let format = path
+            .extension()
+            .and_then(|ext| ext.to_str())
+            .and_then(ImageFormat::from_extension);
+
+        Ok(ImageInfo {
+            dimensions: Dimensions {
+                width: img.width(),
+                height: img.height(),
+            },
+            format,
+            file_size: metadata.len(),
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub fn load_pixels(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<image::DynamicImage> {
+        image::open(path).map_err(|e| PixstripError::ImageLoad {
+            path: path.to_path_buf(),
+            reason: e.to_string(),
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl Default for ImageLoader {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/pixstrip-core/tests/discovery_tests.rs b/pixstrip-core/tests/discovery_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e524264
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixstrip-core/tests/discovery_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+use pixstrip_core::discovery::discover_images;
+use std::fs;
+
+fn create_test_tree(root: &std::path::Path) {
+    fs::create_dir_all(root.join("subdir")).unwrap();
+    fs::write(root.join("photo1.jpg"), b"fake jpeg").unwrap();
+    fs::write(root.join("photo2.png"), b"fake png").unwrap();
+    fs::write(root.join("readme.txt"), b"not an image").unwrap();
+    fs::write(root.join("subdir/nested.webp"), b"fake webp").unwrap();
+    fs::write(root.join("subdir/doc.pdf"), b"not an image").unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn discover_flat() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    create_test_tree(dir.path());
+
+    let images = discover_images(dir.path(), false);
+    assert_eq!(images.len(), 2);
+    let names: Vec<String> = images
+        .iter()
+        .map(|p| p.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().into_owned())
+        .collect();
+    assert!(names.contains(&"photo1.jpg".to_string()));
+    assert!(names.contains(&"photo2.png".to_string()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn discover_recursive() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    create_test_tree(dir.path());
+
+    let images = discover_images(dir.path(), true);
+    assert_eq!(images.len(), 3);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn discover_empty_dir() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let images = discover_images(dir.path(), true);
+    assert!(images.is_empty());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn discover_single_file() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("single.jpg");
+    fs::write(&path, b"fake jpeg").unwrap();
+
+    let images = discover_images(&path, false);
+    assert_eq!(images.len(), 1);
+}
diff --git a/pixstrip-core/tests/loader_tests.rs b/pixstrip-core/tests/loader_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..645f3be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixstrip-core/tests/loader_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+use pixstrip_core::loader::ImageLoader;
+use pixstrip_core::types::Dimensions;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+fn create_test_jpeg(path: &Path) {
+    use image::{RgbImage, ImageFormat};
+    let img = RgbImage::from_fn(100, 80, |x, y| {
+        image::Rgb([(x % 256) as u8, (y % 256) as u8, 128])
+    });
+    img.save_with_format(path, ImageFormat::Jpeg).unwrap();
+}
+
+fn create_test_png(path: &Path) {
+    use image::{RgbaImage, ImageFormat};
+    let img = RgbaImage::from_fn(200, 150, |x, y| {
+        image::Rgba([(x % 256) as u8, (y % 256) as u8, 100, 255])
+    });
+    img.save_with_format(path, ImageFormat::Png).unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn load_jpeg_dimensions() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("test.jpg");
+    create_test_jpeg(&path);
+
+    let loader = ImageLoader::new();
+    let info = loader.load_info(&path).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(info.dimensions, Dimensions { width: 100, height: 80 });
+    assert_eq!(info.format, Some(pixstrip_core::types::ImageFormat::Jpeg));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn load_png_dimensions() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("test.png");
+    create_test_png(&path);
+
+    let loader = ImageLoader::new();
+    let info = loader.load_info(&path).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(info.dimensions, Dimensions { width: 200, height: 150 });
+    assert_eq!(info.format, Some(pixstrip_core::types::ImageFormat::Png));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn load_pixels() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("test.jpg");
+    create_test_jpeg(&path);
+
+    let loader = ImageLoader::new();
+    let pixels = loader.load_pixels(&path).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(pixels.width(), 100);
+    assert_eq!(pixels.height(), 80);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn load_nonexistent_file() {
+    let loader = ImageLoader::new();
+    let result = loader.load_info(Path::new("/tmp/does_not_exist_pixstrip.jpg"));
+    assert!(result.is_err());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn file_size_bytes() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("test.jpg");
+    create_test_jpeg(&path);
+
+    let loader = ImageLoader::new();
+    let info = loader.load_info(&path).unwrap();
+    assert!(info.file_size > 0);
+}