Abstract: In a color printing method, a color photosensitive material is exposed in the photographing step to object illuminating light, which is recorded thereon as an optical density by photographic treatments. In the printing step, the optical density is detected to determine blue, green and red exposures, which cause the object illuminating light to be reproduced on a color positive photosensitive material so as to have neutral gray or to be colored to a standard color. An object image on the color photosensitive material is printed on the color positive photosensitive material with the most suitable color reproduction with the same three-color component exposures as those determined in printing the object illuminating light.