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Photothermal (PT) methods are able to characterize effective thermooptical properties of particulate two-phase polymer nanocomposites. Modulated laser light is used to generate a thermal response of the sample which contains information on its thermophysical and optical properties. Thus frequency- or time-domain PT spectra can be acquired by various PT methods. The sample structure, which is beyond the reach of pure optical methods, becomes accessible to a depth known as the thermal diffusion length. This frequency-dependent parameter is the basis of PT tomography. After the presentation of a literature survey on PT studies on composite materials, the authors’ results on polymer-based (high- and low-density polyethylene, EVA, PLA, PBS) composites with carbon (expanded and unexpanded graphite, carbon nanotubes), montmorillonite clay, and Al particles are presented. Thermooptical parameters of nanocomposites are then extracted and correlations are made with the different aspect ratios of the fillers in the frame of mean field theory models, allowing for the estimation of interfacial thermal resistance.