In a perovskite-type chromite La0.5Pr0.5CrO3, we studied the photo-induced electron-spin resonance (ESR). During the illumination of near-infrared light, the photo-induced and transient magnetization is temperature dependent with the characteristic thermal activation energy of 130 meV below the spin-canted antiferromagnetic transition temperature 261, K. At room temperature the photo-induced ESR intensity is remarkably enhanced. We interpret this is coming from the photo-excited electronic state in chromite. By analogy with the manganites, we suspect that the irradiated photons excite the t(2g) electrons to the e(g) state in Cr3+ (3d(3)). This kind of excitation may cause a creation of novel transient magnetic order than canted antiferromagnetism. The present results may open up an intriguing collective photo-induced magnetism, the creation and control of spin and spin-polarization dependent transport with near-infrared light illumination. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.