PURPOSE: To obtain a photorecording material recordable in high compaction and difficulty alterable falsely by forming a photosensitive material layer convertible into a light shading state by exposure to light or vice versa on a base, exposing and developing it to form a recording layer, and forming a reflective thin metallic layer on it.

CONSTITUTION: A photosensitive material layer convertible into a light shading or a light transmitting state by light exposure is formed by mixing a transparent binder resin, a photodecomposable development inhibitor having a diazo or azido group, such as p-azidoacetophenone, and a metal (complex) salt convertible into metallic development nuclei, such as dichloroethylene diamine Pd salt, and then coating a base with this mixture. An intended photorecording material is obtained by patternwise exposing and developing it to form a recording layer, and forming a reflective thin metallic film layer on this recording layer. As a result, information written in the recording layer can be read out in accordance with the difference of light reflectances.