PURPOSE: To improve the acutance and multilayer effect of a silver material by using a timing group and an inhibitor part containing a nonaromatic steric hindrance substituent.

CONSTITUTION: This photographic silver halide compsn. contains a compd. having a carrier part and a releasable development inhibitor part. The inhibitor part is bonded to a carrier part in such a manner that the inhibitor can be released by a releasable timing group from the carrier part during a photographic treating process of the compsn. and that the timing group can cause intramolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction or intramolecular elimination reaction. In this case, the releasable development inhibitor part contains such a nonaromatic steric hindrance substituent that has a tertiary carbon atom which is directly bonded to the inhibitor part or a secondary carbon atom which is directly bonded to the inhibitor part but is not a part of an unsatd. carbon ring containing at least 6 carbon atoms. The combination of the timing group and the development inhibitor part enables increase in the acutance and the multilayered effect in the exposure process and treatment of the photographic compsn.