Process for forming a direct positive image

Claim 1

A process for forming a direct positive image which comprises image-wise exposing a light-sensitive material comprising a support having provided thereon at least one internal latent image type direct positive silver halide photographic emulsion layer, subjecting the resulting material to whole surface exposure before or during developing process, and developing the resulting material in the presence of (1) a quaternary salt nucleating agent represented by the general formula (N-I): wherein, Z represents nonmetal atoms necessary for forming a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring and may contain a substituent; R 1 is an aliphatic group; R 2 is a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group or an aryl group: R 1 and R 2 may contain a substituent, provided that at least one of R 1 , R 2 and Z groups contain at alkynyl group, an acyl group, a hydrazino group or a hydrazono group, or R 1 and R 2 are combined together to form dihydropyridinium skeleton as a 6-membered ring; further, at least one of R 1 , R 2 and Z may contain X 1 --(L 1 )-- wherein X 1 is a group for promoting adsorption on silver halide and L 1 is a bivalent linking group; Y is a counter ion for electrical charge balance; n is 0 or 1; and m is 0 or 1 or a (2) hydrazine nucleating agent represented by the general formula (N-II); ##STR25## wherein, R 21 represents an aliphatic group, an aromatic group or a heterocyclic group, R 22 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group or an amino group; G represents a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group, a sulfoxy group, a phosphoryl group or an iminomethylene group ##STR26## R 23 and R 24 are both hydrogen atoms, or one of them represents a hydrogen atom and the other represents any one of an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, or an acyl group, G, R 23 , R 24 and hydrazine nitrogens may also form a hydrazone structure ##STR27##