What is Commercial Photography?

If someone needs a picture of a machine or a car or some product, like food or makeup, they call a photographer to do the job. They don't call wedding photographers. They call "commercial" photographers. These photographs are the things you see in annual reports, on brochures, in catalogs, on product packaging, on "still video" commercials on TV, etc.

That would be photography which pays the photographer as its absolute meaning. It generally refers to advertiseing and such.

commercial photography is when you take pictures for money. you can either be on staff, own your own studio, or freelance.

photography that is ment to advertise something or to sell/popularize it

Commercial photography is that the one of products and merchandice; generally taken over a "table top" so called that way also.
It is different from "Industrial photography", Portrait photography; wedding photography, child photography, fashion photography. pet photography.
A commercial photographer could be the top in his specialty, but could be the worst in wedding photography.