An ink jet ink comprising water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a resin and an anionic heptamethine cyanine dye comprising a substituted or unsubstituted five or six ring in the heptamethine chain, the dye having a maximum absorption between 800 and 1200 nm and having a structural moiety according to general formula I or to general formula II wherein - L 1 an L 2 independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group - R 1 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group, a halogen, a hydroxyl, an alkoxy group, a thioether, a sulfoxide, a sulfone, a sulfonic acid or salt thereof, a carboxylic acid or salt thereof, an ester, an amide and an amine. - M represents a hydrogen or a counterion to compensate the negative charge of the sulfonate group - R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkaryl group and a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group; R 2 and R 3 may represent the necessary atoms to form a substituted or unsubstituted five to eight membered ring. - R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group, a halogen, a hydroxyl, an alkoxy group, a thioether, a sulfoxide, a sulfone, a sulfonic acid or salt thereof, a carboxylic acid or salt thereof, an ester, an amide and an amine; R 4 and R 5 may represent the necessary atoms to form a substituted or unsubstituted five to eight membered ring. - L 1 an L 2 independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group - R 1 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group, a halogen, a hydroxyl, an alkoxy group, a thioether, a sulfoxide, a sulfone, a sulfonic acid or salt thereof, a carboxylic acid or salt thereof, an ester, an amide and an amine. - M represents a hydrogen or a counterion to compensate the negative charge of the sulfonate group - R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkaryl group and a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group; R 2 and R 3 may represent the necessary atoms to form a substituted or unsubstituted five to eight membered ring. - R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group, a halogen, a hydroxyl, an alkoxy group, a thioether, a sulfoxide, a sulfone, a sulfonic acid or salt thereof, a carboxylic acid or salt thereof, an ester, an amide and an amine; R 4 and R 5 may represent the necessary atoms to form a substituted or unsubstituted five to eight membered ring.