A photoferroelectric effect described as photoassisted domain switching (PDS) is used to store high resolution, high contrast, nonvolatile optical information, including gray scale images in PLZT ceramics. Image storage is achieved by switching the ferroelectric remanent polarization while exposing the image on one of the indium tin oxide electroded surfaces of a PLZT plate, using near-UV light at the PLZT band gap energy (3.35 eV). PDS eliminates the photoconductive films required in previous PLZT image storage devices. Some characteristics of the PDS effect which apply to image storage and selective erasure are described. Image processing to achieve contrast enhancement is also discussed.