The formation of triplet excitons in a benzophenone single crystal has been studied by picosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy. The rate constant of the singlet-triplet intersystem crossing has been determined to be (28 +/- 2 ps)(-1). With strong excitation the formation of the triplet exciton becomes faster. This is ascribed to the fission of a highly excited state, populated by a biphotonic process, into two triplet excitons.