Born in Saint-Petersburg. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and Academy of arts. Several years in chemistry at the University laboratory of D. I. Mendeleev. In the late 80-ies of learning in Germany, where he begins to lecture on photochemistry at the Higher technical school in Berlin. The first in the world invented color photography and color cinematography. In 1909-1913 undertook an ambitious project - creating a collection of 10,000 photos of sights of Russia. In 1913 he organized and headed a joint-stock company "Biochrom". Since 1918, in exile, a collection of photos managed vyvezti Zee Russia to his sons. First year in exile he lived in Norway, then moved to England. In 1920 he removed and staged a public demonstration in London, the world's first color movie. In 1921 he moved to nice and then to Paris. Opened the best in Paris Studio and darkroom. Among the works of Studio album, of the national pavilion at the Paris world exhibition of 1937. Died in Paris. Buried in the cemetery of St. Genev de Bois. In 1948, the collection Prokudin-Gorsky was sold by the sons Rokfellerovskom Fund and is currently stored in the library of Congress. Personal archive Prokudin-Gorsky kept in Paris with his grandson M. I. Suslina.