In the present work, the method which allows investigating the spatial distribution of light extinction coefficient in colloidal media is experimentally realized. The proposed method is based on the dependence of temporal profiles of excited OA-signals on the absorption and extinction coefficients of the studied medium. Water-based and kerosene-based magnetic fluids with volume content of magnetite particles in the range 0.35–3.5 % were studied as an example of the medium with spatially non-uniform optical properties. The capability of the reconstruction of the one-dimensional spatial distribution for the light extinction coefficient in the investigated media is demonstrated. It was shown that the relative change of the extinction coefficient with depth depends on volume concentration of magnetite particles, type of acoustical boundary and properties of carrier liquids. In the case of acoustical rigid boundary of magnetic fluid, an additional induced anisotropy occurs, which leads to increasing of the light extinction coefficient with depth in comparison with acoustical free boundary of fluid.