Direct positive color image forming method

A direct positive color image forming method which comprises processing an imagewise exposed photographic light-sensitive material with a surface color developing solution containing an aromatic primary amine color developing agent, after fogging treatment and/or during fogging treatment, wherein the photographic light-sensitive material comprises a support having thereon at least one internal latent image type silver halide emulsion layer than has not been previously fogged, a color image forming coupler, colloidal silver, and at least one compound represented by general formula (I):

• ##STR19## wherein Z represents an atomic group necessary for completing a 5-membered or 6-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring;
• D and D', which may be the same or different, each individually represents an atomic group necessary for completing an acidic nucleus, D and D' are be bonded to each other to form a cyclic structure, and wherein the nucleus formed by D and D' is selected from 2-pyrazolin-5-one, pyrazolidine-3,5-dione, imidazolin-5-one, hydantoin, 2- or 4-thiohydantoin, 2-iminooxazolin-4-one, 2-oxazolin-5-one, 2-thiooxazolindine-2,4-dione, isooxazolin-5-one, 2-thiazoline-4-one, thiazolidine-4-one, thiazolidine-2,4-dione, rhodanine, thiazolidine-2,4-dithione, isorhodanine, indane-1,3-dione, thiophen-3-one, thiophen-3-one-1,1-dioxide, isoindolin-2-one, isoindilin-3-one, indazolin-3-one, 2-oxoindazolinium, 3-oxoindazolium, 5,7-dioxo-6,7-dihydrothiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine, cyclohexane-1,3-dione, 3-4-dihydroisoquinolin-4-one, 1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione, barbituric acid, 2-thiobarbituric acid, chroman-2-4-dione, indazolin-2-one, and pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidine-1,3-dione;
• R.sup.1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group which may form a salt with a metal atom or an organic compound;
• L.sup.1, L.sup.2, L.sup.3, L.sup.4, L.sup.5 and L.sup.6, which may be the same or different, each represents a substituted or unsubstituted methine group;
• n.sup.1 and n.sup.2 each represents 0 or 1;
• and l represents an integer from 0 to 3.