Method for forming color images

A method of forming a color image which comprises:

• providing a silver halide color photographic material which has on a support at least one emulsion layer unit constituted of at least two silver halide emulsion layers having the same color sensitivity and different photographic speeds, and wherein the silver halide grains in said emulsion layers are selected from the group consisting of light-sensitive silver iodobromide grains and light-sensitive silver chloriodobromide grains, and which contains at least one DIR compound represented by the following general formula (II) in at least one layer selected from said emulsion layer unit and other constituent layers;
• exposing said color photographic material;
• and
• processing said color photographic material with a color developer containing at least one compound represented by the following general formula XI as a developing agent for silver halide color photography:
• ##STR26## wherein R.sub.1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a straight-chain or branched hydroxyalkyl group containing 3 to 6 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkylene group containing 3 to 6 carbon atoms, or a straight-chain or branched hydroxyalkylene group containing 3 to 6 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• and m represents 1;
• A--Q (II)
• wherein A represents a group capable of causing cleavage of Q by reacting with an oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine developing agent;
• and Q represents a development inhibitor moiety or a group capable of releasing a development inhibitor moiety.