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Phthalocyanines (Pc) are well-known light-harvesting compounds. However, despite the tremendous efforts on phthalocyanine synthesis, the achieved energy conversion efficiencies for Pc-based dye-sensitized solar cells are moderate. To cast light on the factors reducing the conversion efficiency, we have undertaken a time-resolved spectroscopy study of the primary photoinduced reactions at a semiconductor-Pc interface. ZnO nanorods were chosen as a model semiconductor substrate with enhanced specific surface area. The use of a nanostructured oxide surface allows to extend the semiconductor-dye interface with a hole transporting layer (spiro-MeOTAD) in a controlled way, making the studied system closer to a solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell. Four zinc phthalocyanines are compared in this study. The compounds are equipped with bulky peripheral groups designed to reduce the self-aggregation of the Pcs. Almost no signs of aggregation can be observed from the absorption spectra of the Pcs assembled on a ZnO ...