The Publicity/photo files visually document the activities of William Pahlmann, his design firm William Pahlmann Associates, and individual employees. Most of the materials in this series concern specific interior projects Pahlmann and his firm worked on. A significant portion of materials dealing with Pahlmann himself, his houses and apartments, his family, his art collections, his travels, and the parties he gave at "Pahlmannia," his house in Bedford, New York are found in this series as well.

The Publicity/Photo Files Series consists primarily of photographs (8 × 10 professional prints and snapshots), color transparencies, negatives, and photograph captions. Other materials found in this series include press releases, correspondence (usually with photographers or about photographs), magazine clippings, newspaper clippings, written descriptions for jobs, notes, and drawings. Pahlmann used the Publicity/Photo File materials in various forms of mass media, including but not limited to press releases, magazine and newspaper articles, brochures, and personal Christmas cards. In most cases, the photographs and transparencies in individual files correspond with newspaper and magazine clippings or press releases. Many of the photograph captions are drafts for his 1955 book, The Pahlmann Book of Interior Design. Pahlmann added to the Publicity/Photo Files throughout his career, starting with his early work in the 1930s and ending with his final projects in the mid 1970s.

Materials in the Publicity/Photo Files Series supplement many of the materials found in the Publicity Books Series, the Client Photo Presentation Books Series, the Publicity Series and the Renderings, Photo Boards, and Presentation Boards Series. Some of the items in the Publicity/Photo Files duplicate images found throughout the other four series. All five of these series, when considered together, help build a comprehensive picture of Pahlmann's style, his clientele, and most importantly the image he wanted to project about himself and his business.

Items in the Publicity/Photo Files Series are arranged alphabetically by client or subject with the exception of the first ten folders in Box 1, which deal with photo books, slides, photographers, and photography supplies. The folder labels are transferred from the originals. In some cases, large folders were split among two or more folders to aid handling.