We have found that producing a light-induced easy axis in a liquid crystal cell doped with methyl red can result in surface director reorientation both toward and outward tile polarization of the incident light. This pointed out two different mechanisms of light-induced anchoring in the system. We proposed that these mechanisms are light-induced anisotropy in the adsorbed MR-lager and light-induced adsorption of MR molecules on the substrate. The study of light-induced anchoring in the isotropic phase showed that the mechanism of light-induced anisotropy in adsorbed MR-layer prevails at small light intensities, whereas the mechanisms of light-induced adsorption dominates at high intensities.