This dataset focuses on detailed descriptive coding of visual data as a method for qualitative sociological analysis. This method involves a rich, detailed examination of the component elements within visual data using a comparison of ten photographs of political graffiti in Rome and ten in Buenos Aires to illustrate the technique. The dataset emphasises the connection between detailed descriptive coding and wider issues of sociological interpretation. The method outlined is both laborious and time-consuming, but its adoption facilitates a deeper understanding of the social and political significance of such urban graffiti. The dataset files are accompanied by a Teaching Guide and a Student Guide