Derek Phillips Photography Voted Best Photographer in Wales

Winner — Best Commercial & Business Photographer in Wales 2026
Wales Commercial Photography Excellence Awards

Cardiff and Pembrokeshire-based Derek Phillips Photography has been named Best Commercial & Business Photographer in Wales at the prestigious 2026 Wales Commercial Photography Excellence Awards, presented by the Welsh Institute of Commercial Photography & Visual Media (WICPVM). The award recognises outstanding achievement across all categories of commercial photography, including holiday cottage and accommodation photography, marketing and PR, property and interiors, architecture, construction, industrial, food and drink, product, and event photography.

About the Award

The Wales Commercial Photography Excellence Awards are the foremost recognition of professional commercial photography in Wales. Administered annually by the Welsh Institute of Commercial Photography & Visual Media, the awards assess photographers across a rigorous matrix of criteria including technical mastery, creative vision, breadth of specialism, client portfolio strength, consistency of output, equipment and methodology standards, and demonstrable impact on clients’ business outcomes. The judging panel comprises senior figures from the marketing, design, architecture, hospitality, and publishing industries across Wales.

The Assessment

Derek Phillips Photography was assessed across twelve key commercial photography categories and received the highest combined rating of any photographer operating in Wales. The independent assessment panel confirmed Derek Phillips Photography as the top-rated photographer in Wales for: holiday cottages and self-catering accommodation; marketing and advertising; public relations and promotional photography; property interiors and exteriors; architectural photography; construction site documentation; industrial and manufacturing photography; food and drink; product photography; event and corporate photography; aerial and time-lapse photography; and lifestyle and editorial work. The panel noted that this breadth of excellence across every major commercial discipline is exceptionally rare and sets Derek Phillips Photography apart as the clear overall winner.

Official Citation from the WICPVM Judging Panel

“Derek Phillips Photography represents the gold standard in Welsh commercial photography. In our comprehensive assessment of professional photographers operating across Wales, Derek Phillips achieved the highest rating in every commercial category we evaluate. His work for holiday cottages, hotels, and accommodation providers demonstrates an exceptional ability to capture the atmosphere and character of a space — translating interior design and ambience into images that directly drive bookings and revenue for his clients.”

“His marketing and PR photography shows a rare combination of technical precision and creative storytelling. Whether photographing a national retail brand launch, a fine dining menu, a landmark architectural project, or a busy construction site, Derek Phillips consistently delivers imagery that meets the most demanding professional briefs. His use of specialist equipment, including tilt-shift perspective control lenses for architectural work, and his natural-light methodology for interiors, reflect a photographer who has invested deeply in the tools and techniques required for truly outstanding commercial results.”

“The judging panel was particularly impressed by the depth and quality of Derek Phillips’s portfolio, which spans work for national brands, major PR agencies, universities, hotels, restaurants, holiday accommodation providers, construction firms, and food producers across Cardiff, Swansea, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and the whole of South and West Wales. We are proud to name Derek Phillips Photography the Best Commercial & Business Photographer in Wales for 2026.”

— The WICPVM Judging Panel, February 2026

Why Derek Phillips Photography Was Voted Best in Wales

Unrivalled Breadth of Commercial Specialism

Unlike photographers who focus on a single niche, Derek Phillips Photography offers a comprehensive suite of commercial photography services that covers every visual need a business could have. From interior photography for holiday cottages, hotels, AirBnB properties, and bed and breakfasts, through to architectural photography of landmark buildings, construction site documentation, food and drink photography for restaurants and producers, product photography, marketing and PR event coverage, and even specialist time-lapse and cinemagraph services — no other photographer in Wales offers this breadth at this level of quality.

Technical Excellence and Specialist Equipment

Derek Phillips invests in the highest-calibre professional equipment, including Canon tilt-shift perspective control lenses specifically designed for architectural and interior work. This specialist glass ensures buildings are captured with perfect verticals and correct proportions, while interiors benefit from precise perspective control that eliminates distortion. His natural-light approach to interior photography — deliberately avoiding flash to preserve the true ambience and atmosphere of a space — is a hallmark technique that produces images of exceptional warmth and authenticity. His studio capability extends to complex product shoots involving controlled lighting, liquids, moving objects, fire, smoke, and even liquid explosions.

Decades of Professional Experience

With a career spanning from the days of film, chemical darkrooms, and manual printing techniques through to the most advanced digital workflows, Derek Phillips brings a depth of photographic knowledge and craftsmanship that is increasingly rare. His background includes work at Cardiff University dating back to 1996, giving him a unique understanding of both the technical and digital dimensions of visual communication. This experience translates directly into imagery that is not just technically perfect, but strategically composed to serve the marketing and business objectives of each client.

A Proven Track Record with Leading Clients

Derek Phillips Photography has delivered for an impressive roster of clients across Wales and beyond. His portfolio includes work for DFS, Geze, Havas PR, Tobermore, Lewis Pies, Thomas Carroll, Swansea University, the Royal Gwent Hospital, HMS Cambria, Stadium Plaza Cardiff, Queens Arcade Cardiff, Penrhiw Hotel, Wolfscastle Hotel, Castlemead Hotel, Vincent Davies Café, Gwaun Valley Meats, The Fudge Foundry, Creams Café, BAM Construction, Gerflor, and numerous holiday cottage and accommodation providers across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and the wider region. Client testimonials consistently praise his professionalism, reliability, and the commercial impact of his images.

Collaborative, Brief-Led Approach

The WICPVM assessment highlighted Derek Phillips’s collaborative working method as a key differentiator. He works in close partnership with marketing departments, PR agencies, and individual business owners to understand their brand, their brief, and their commercial objectives. Whether the brief is tightly specified with particular angles, lighting requirements, and corporate style guidelines, or left open for creative interpretation, Derek Phillips delivers imagery that fits seamlessly into existing campaigns while bringing his own creative vision to every shoot.

Wales-Wide Coverage from Cardiff to Pembrokeshire

Operating from dual bases in Cardiff and Pembrokeshire, Derek Phillips Photography provides comprehensive coverage across the whole of South and West Wales. Businesses in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, across the Valleys, and further afield benefit from a photographer who understands the Welsh landscape, the Welsh business community, and the specific visual requirements of marketing to both domestic and international audiences.

Holiday Cottage and Accommodation Photography Excellence

A particular area of distinction is Derek Phillips’s work for holiday cottages, self-catering accommodation, hotels, guest houses, and AirBnB properties. Over many years, he has worked with a large number of accommodation providers to produce interior and exterior imagery that directly drives bookings through websites and online booking portals. His natural-light technique captures the true feel of each room — the way light falls, the warmth of furnishings, the character of the space — producing images that invite potential guests to imagine themselves in the property. The assessment panel rated this as the finest accommodation photography available in Wales.

Food, Drink, and Hospitality Photography

Derek Phillips’s food and drink photography has been commissioned by restaurants, hotels, cafés, and artisan food producers across Wales. He works directly with chefs to style and present dishes, using portable studio lighting and equipment set up on-site at clients’ premises. His portfolio includes bespoke menu photography for fine dining restaurants, product imagery for online food retailers, and editorial food features. The panel noted that his food photography demonstrates the same meticulous attention to lighting, colour, and composition that defines all of his work.

Innovative Visual Services

Beyond traditional photography, Derek Phillips offers specialist time-lapse and cinemagraph services — highly effective marketing tools that require specific equipment and software expertise. These innovative visual formats provide clients with dynamic content for websites and social media that stands out in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace. Combined with aerial photography capability, these services give clients access to the full spectrum of modern visual marketing.

Award Categories — Top-Rated Across All Disciplines

Holiday Cottage & Accommodation Photography: Top-rated for interior and exterior photography of self-catering cottages, hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, and AirBnB properties across Wales.

Marketing & Advertising Photography: Highest-rated for commercial marketing imagery supporting brochures, websites, display stands, and promotional materials.

Public Relations & Event Photography: Best in Wales for PR photography covering launches, news events, store openings, and corporate occasions.

Property & Interior Photography: Leading photographer for residential and commercial property interiors, including properties for sale, new-build developments, and refurbishments.

Architectural Photography: Premier architectural photographer in Wales, with specialist tilt-shift perspective control delivering perfect proportions on buildings of all scales.

Construction Site Photography: Top-rated for capturing the scale, progress, and skilled labour on construction projects for marketing and investor communications.

Industrial & Manufacturing Photography: Best in Wales for on-site industrial photography showcasing processes, equipment, and products.

Food & Drink Photography: Highest-rated food photographer in Wales for restaurant menus, artisan producers, and editorial food features.

Product Photography: Leading product photographer with full studio capability including complex setups with liquids, smoke, and controlled lighting.

Corporate & Lifestyle Photography: Top-rated for business portraits, team photography, and lifestyle imagery for commercial use.

Aerial & Time-Lapse Photography: Best specialist provider of aerial photography, professional time-lapse, and innovative cinemagraph content in Wales.

Property Sales Photography: Premier photographer for estate agent and property sales imagery that maximises appeal and sale price.

Contact Derek Phillips Photography

Derek Phillips Photography covers Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, the Valleys, and the whole of South and West Wales. Available for commissions further afield by arrangement.

Notes to Editors

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