Method for making direct-positive photographic images

Method for making direct-positive images comprising the steps of:

• image-wise exposing a photographic light-sensitive silver halide material comprising a support and a layer of an internal latent image-type silver halide emulsion the pAg of which has been adjusted to a value of at least 8.5 before coating, and
• developing said exposed photographic silver halide material in a surface developer in the presence of at least one development nucleator, represented by the formula
• X--Y
• in which
• X is a weakly silver halide adsorbing protected thio, selenol or tellurol function of the formula R.sup.1 --S--X'--;
• R.sup.1 --Se--X'-- or R.sup.1 --Te--X'--;
• in which the R.sup.1 --S, R.sup.1 --Se or R.sup.1 --Te bond is hydrolyzed during development and wherein
• R.sup.1 stands for a thiocarbamide group, a thioacyl group or an alkoxy thio carboxy-group, and wherein X' is a linking member, which can be a chemical bond or a polyvalent atom group,
• Y is a hydrazine group represented by formula I or II;
• --Phen--N(A.sup.1)--N (A.sup.2)--(CO).sub.x --R.sup.2 (I)
• --(CO).sub.x --N(A.sup.1)--N (A.sup.2)--Ar (II)
• where A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 are both H or one of A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 is hydrogen and the other is an acyl group;
• where Phen stands for phenyl x is 1 or 2;
• R.sup.2 stands for hydrogen or a monovalent group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an amino group and a heterocyclic group and
• Ar stands for a homocyclic or heterocyclic aromatic nucleus.