Method of processing a photographic high contrast silver halide material

A method of forming a photographic image in an imagewise exposed high contrast photographic material free from nucleating agents comprising a support bearing a silver halide emulsion layer comprising silver halide grains wherein at least 50% of the silver halide grains are spectrally sensitised and a hydrophilic colloid having a silver:hydrophilic colloid ratio above 1, said method comprising developing said material in a developer comprising a primary ascorbic acid developing agent in an amount from 0.1 to 0.5 mol/l at a pH from 9.5 to 10.5, a 3-pyrazolidone or aminophenol auxiliary developing agent in an amount from 0.001 to 0.1 mol/l, and an alkali metal sulphite in an amount from 0.05 to 0.33 mol/l, said developer being free of hydroquinone, and said material being developed in the presence of a density enhancing amine compound.