Abstract: An ultraviolet absorbing compound of formula (I) below, and photographic elements containing such a compound as an ultraviolet absorber: ##STR1## wherein: R.sub.1 -R.sub.4 independently is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom such as fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo or a combination thereof; a carbalkoxy group having at least one asymmetric carbon or asymmetric silicon atom; an alkoxy group having at least one asymmetric carbon or asymmetric silicon atom, with the proviso that R.sub.2 or R.sub.3, or both R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are other than hydrogen;A* is a group having a carbon atom directly attached to 2'-hydroxyphenyl ring at the 5'-position which contains at least one asymmetric carbon atom or an asymmetric silicon atom, and;wherein the ultraviolet absorbing compound of formula (I) is a mixture of two enantiomers about the asymmetric carbon or silicon atom of A*.