Since inception, photography (etymologically drawing with light) is employed in business, as well as for art, recreational purposes, hobby and mass communication. Technically, it has evolved from plate photography to film and digital, from black-and-white to color, from still to panoramic, video and autonomous aerial with drones.

Commercial photography is defined as any photography for which the photographer is paid for images rather than works of art. The market for photographic services demonstrates the aphorism "A picture is worth a thousand words". Magazines and newspapers, companies putting up websites, advertising agencies and other groups pay for imaging services.