If you like succinctness, you can compact it like:-
vbnet Code:
  1. Dim bmp As Bitmap = Bitmap.FromStream(New MemoryStream(File.ReadAllBytes("c:\ava.png")))

I will state though that MS shouldn't have to require us to do this. Its not natural(at least to me) to expect that the Bitmap will own the stream if it was created using it, specifically because a Bitmap doesn't require a backing Stream in any other circumstance.