Abstract: This invention relates to a self supporting or substrate-supported film or layer of a photosensitive material comprising a water insoluble complex having one of the following sum formulae (I) to (IV) n [R—P—R?]ms+ m [T]n?? (I) or m [T]n?+ n [R—P—R?]m?? (II) n[R1—Q—R1?]m?+ m [T]n?? (III) or an [T]n?+ n [R1—Q—R1?]m?? (IV) wherein [R—P—R?] and [R1—Q—R1?], respectively, are photosensitive tectonic units the photosensitive part of which may undergo a photoreaction, selected from photoisomerizations, photocycloadditions and photoinduced rearrangements, and wherein P is a group capable of photoisomerization, Q is a group capable of participating in a photocycloaddition or photoinduced rearrangement reaction, or in a photooxidation reaction, at least one of R and R? is selected from optionally substituted or functionalized aromatic, preferably aryl-containing groups, and at least one of R and R? is positively or negatively charged, with the proviso that if P is —N?N—, R and R? both are independently selected from opt