Photoresponsive solids such as nematic photoelastomers can undergo large deformations induced by
light absorbed into rodlike molecules which bend and disrupt liquid crystal order. Significant variation
of photoabsorption through the solid leads to nonuniform elastic deformations such as bending of
beams and plates and pitting of layers. Such effects are also found in the presence of inhomogeneous
thermal or swelling fields in solids or gels. We analyze the small deflection limit of these problems and
show that beams made of these materials can have two elastically neutral planes, and that plates of these
materials have a typical saddle shape. We also give a scaling analysis of the elasticity of photoinduced
mounds and pits and speculate on their applications.