Abstract: Photographic elements are described havinga silver halide emulsion layer,a pyrazoloazole coupler in reactive association with said silver halide emulsion, anda competitor for oxidized developer in reactive association with said coupler having the formula: ##STR1## R.sup.1 represents an electron donating group, R.sup.2 represents hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, aralkyl or amino of the formula --NHR.sup.3, where R.sup.3 is phenyl or benzyl, with the proviso that at least one of the substituents R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 (a) represents a ballast group of sufficient size as to render the hydrazide compound non-diffusible in the photographic element prior to developement in alkaline processing solution and (b) comprises a polar group, andn is 0, 1 or 2.