A cyanine compound represented by formula (I): wherein ring A and ring B each represent a substituted or unsubstituted benzene ring or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthalene ring; R1, R2, R3, and R4 each represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted benzyl group, or R1 and R2 are taken together, or R3 and R4 are taken together, to form a 3- to 6-membered ring, provided that at least one of R1, R2, R3, and R4 is a substituted benzyl group; Y1 and Y2 each represent an organic group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms; Anm− represents an m-valent anion; m represents an integer 1 or 2; and p represents a coefficient for maintaining overall charge neutrality.