Abstract: The invention relates to a photographic element wherein at least one layer comprises silver halide grains wherein said grains have a surface iodide of less than 0.6 mol percent, total grain iodide of about 1.0 to 10 mol percent, said iodide being introduced in the core of the grains, an alkynylamine compound of Formula I: ##STR1## wherein X represents oxygen, sulfur, selenium, or an unsubstituted or alkyl substituted nitrogen; R.sup.1 represents hydrogen or an alkyl of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and R.sup.2 represents hydrogen, or an alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclic or heterocyclic group, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 independently represent hydrogen, halogen, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxy group, preferably one having fewer than 6 carbon atoms, and the reductone of Formula II ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different, and may represent H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or an alkyl group with a solubilizing group such as --OH, sulfonamide, sulfamoyl, or carbamoyl, R.sub.1 and R.