A regioselectively substituted cellulose ester comprising: (a) a plurality of chromophore-acyl substituents; (b) a plurality of pivaloyl substituents, and (c) a plurality of C 1-6 alkyl-acyl substituents, wherein the cellulose ester has a hydroxyl degree of substitution ("DS OH ") in the range of from 0 to 0.9, wherein the cellulose ester has a pivaloyl degree of substitution ("DS Pv ") in the range of from 0.1 to 1.2, wherein the cellulose ester has a chromophore-acyl degree of substitution ("DS Ch ") in the range of from 0.4 to 1.6, and wherein the regioselectivity is such that the sum of the chromophore-acyl degree of substitution at C2 and C3 ("C2DS Ch " and "C3DS Ch ") minus the chromophore-acyl degree of substitution at C6 ("C6DS Ch ") is between 0.1 and 1.6, wherein the chromophore-acyl is chosen from (i) an C 6-20 aryl-acyl, wherein the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; (ii) a heteroaryl-acyl, wherein the heteroaryl is a 5- to 10-membered ring having 1- to 4- heteroatoms chosen from N, O, or S, and wherein the heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; wherein the aryl is a univalent group formed by removing a hydrogen atom from carbon in an arene, and wherein the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; or wherein the heteroaryl is a 5- to 10-membered ring having 1-4 heteroatoms chosen from N, O or S, and wherein the heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1, wherein each R 1 is independently chosen from nitro, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl; haloC 1-6 alkyl; C 6-20 aryl-CO 2 -; C 6-20 aryl; C 1-6 alkoxy; haloC 1-6 alkoxy; halo; 5- to 10-membered heteroaryl having 1-4 heteroatoms chosen from N, O, or S; or (a) a plurality of chromophore-acyl substituents; (b) a plurality of pivaloyl substituents, and (c) a plurality of C 1-6 alkyl-acyl substituents, wherein the cellulose ester has a hydroxyl degree of substitution ("DS OH ") in the range of from 0 to 0.9, wherein the cellulose ester has a pivaloyl degree of substitution ("DS Pv ") in the range of from 0.1 to 1.2, wherein the cellulose ester has a chromophore-acyl degree of substitution ("DS Ch ") in the range of from 0.4 to 1.6, and wherein the regioselectivity is such that the sum of the chromophore-acyl degree of substitution at C2 and C3 ("C2DS Ch " and "C3DS Ch ") minus the chromophore-acyl degree of substitution at C6 ("C6DS Ch ") is between 0.1 and 1.6, wherein the chromophore-acyl is chosen from (i) an C 6-20 aryl-acyl, wherein the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; (ii) a heteroaryl-acyl, wherein the heteroaryl is a 5- to 10-membered ring having 1- to 4- heteroatoms chosen from N, O, or S, and wherein the heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; wherein the aryl is a univalent group formed by removing a hydrogen atom from carbon in an arene, and wherein the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; or wherein the heteroaryl is a 5- to 10-membered ring having 1-4 heteroatoms chosen from N, O or S, and wherein the heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1, wherein each R 1 is independently chosen from nitro, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl; haloC 1-6 alkyl; C 6-20 aryl-CO 2 -; C 6-20 aryl; C 1-6 alkoxy; haloC 1-6 alkoxy; halo; 5- to 10-membered heteroaryl having 1-4 heteroatoms chosen from N, O, or S; or wherein the cellulose ester has a hydroxyl degree of substitution ("DS OH ") in the range of from 0 to 0.9, wherein the cellulose ester has a pivaloyl degree of substitution ("DS Pv ") in the range of from 0.1 to 1.2, wherein the cellulose ester has a chromophore-acyl degree of substitution ("DS Ch ") in the range of from 0.4 to 1.6, and wherein the regioselectivity is such that the sum of the chromophore-acyl degree of substitution at C2 and C3 ("C2DS Ch " and "C3DS Ch ") minus the chromophore-acyl degree of substitution at C6 ("C6DS Ch ") is between 0.1 and 1.6, wherein the chromophore-acyl is chosen from (i) an C 6-20 aryl-acyl, wherein the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; (ii) a heteroaryl-acyl, wherein the heteroaryl is a 5- to 10-membered ring having 1- to 4- heteroatoms chosen from N, O, or S, and wherein the heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; wherein the aryl is a univalent group formed by removing a hydrogen atom from carbon in an arene, and wherein the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; or wherein the heteroaryl is a 5- to 10-membered ring having 1-4 heteroatoms chosen from N, O or S, and wherein the heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1, wherein each R 1 is independently chosen from nitro, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl; haloC 1-6 alkyl; C 6-20 aryl-CO 2 -; C 6-20 aryl; C 1-6 alkoxy; haloC 1-6 alkoxy; halo; 5- to 10-membered heteroaryl having 1-4 heteroatoms chosen from N, O, or S; or (i) an C 6-20 aryl-acyl, wherein the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; (ii) a heteroaryl-acyl, wherein the heteroaryl is a 5- to 10-membered ring having 1- to 4- heteroatoms chosen from N, O, or S, and wherein the heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; wherein the aryl is a univalent group formed by removing a hydrogen atom from carbon in an arene, and wherein the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1; or wherein the heteroaryl is a 5- to 10-membered ring having 1-4 heteroatoms chosen from N, O or S, and wherein the heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1-5 R 1,