The chemical environment within the receiving layer(s) is known to influence the permanence of dye-based ink jet graphics. A correlation was observed between dye light fastness and the concentration dependence of UV / VIS absorption in dyed acrylamide and polyvinyl pyrrolidone polymers. This has been interpreted as a consequence of media influenced dye aggregation. Computer modeling of dye polymer interactions supports this interpretation in the case of the polyvinyl pyrrolidone and acrylamide polymers, but suggests other factors can also play a role in the favorable photo stability of polyvinyl alcohol images. The validity of the computer models and dyed polymer techniques employed in understanding dye photo fade are addressed.