if (!OleLoadPicturePath(L"http://forum.pellesc.de/Smileys/default/smiley.gif",
0,0,0, IID_IPicture, &pic))
{
// todo
}
Much simpler than OleLoadPicture, eh? You can pass an URL or local file (full) path.
By the way - LR_COPYRETURNORG does what it says, it returns the image you passed, instead a copy. When you Release picture object, that image will be no more valid.