Activation of silver halide photographic developers

A method of activating a photographic developer of reduced activity which contains a lower valence metal capable of reducing exposed silver halide as a developing agent, said metal being present in combination with a ligand, which forms a complex with the metal, of the following formula:

• ##EQU6## wherein L is --COOM or ##EQU7## M is H, Na, K, Li, NH.sub.4 or a substituted ammonium group such as a trialkanol or trialkyl ammonium group where the alkanol or alkyl group has 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• Q and Q' are H, Na, K, Li, NH.sub.4, a substituted ammonium group such as a trialkanol or trialkyl ammonium group where the alkanol or alkyl group has 1 to 4 carbon atoms or aralkyl;
• a, b, c and d are 1, 2, or 3;
• Z is a divalent group such as a phenylene group, a cyclohexyl group, ##EQU8## wherein L is described above;
• R, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 are H, OH, NH.sub.2, a substituted amino group such as a C.sub.1 - C.sub.4 trialkanol or trialkyl amine, halogen, alkyl or alkoxy having 1-4 carbon atoms;
• f is 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• e is 1, 2 or 3;
• said developing agent initially being present in an amount sufficient to reduce exposed silver halide, said method comprising contacting said photograhic developer with a metal the same as the metal of the developing agent and having a large contact area.