Photophysics (phototautomeric fluorescence, transient absorption) and quantum-chemical study (Molecular Mechanics, INDO/S) of the photochromic Schiff bases - derivatives of salicylideneaniline - were reported. It was shown that in molecules with two equivalent internal H-bonds only one proton is translocated to create the monoketo-tautomer with a zwitterionic character. In contrast, the same molecule in the ground state has a strong tendency to remain symmetric.