Dye diffusion transfer imaging process for production of retained images

The present invention provides a dye diffusion transfer imaging process for the production of retained images, comprising the steps of: - applying an alkaline aqueous processing composition to an image-wise exposed photographic element that contains in operative association with an alkali-permeable silver halide hydrophilic colloid emulsion layer a redox-activatable compound that initially is immobile in an aqueous alkali-permeable colloid medium and is capable of releasing under alkaline conditions in reduced state a diffusible dye moiety, - providing a silver halide developing agent in said photographic element for being present therein during application of said alkaline aqueous processing composition to cause as a function of development of said silver halide emulsion layer the release of said diffusible dye moiety from said redox-activatable compound upon reduction thereof at the non-silver image areas or the loss of the capacity of said redox-activatable compound of releasing said diffusible dye moiety upon oxidation of said redox-activatable compound at the silver image areas, and - allowing diffusion of said diffusible dye moiety into an extracting liquid or disposable receptor medium and leaving in said photographic element a silver image as well as an UV-absorbing dye image retained congruously with said silver image, said redox-activatable compound comprising at least two dye units together absorbing radiation all over the range between 300 and 450 nm. The present invention also provides a photographic silver halide element comprising such a redox-activatable compound.