A negative-working image forming process which comprises uniformly exposing a photosensitive material comprising a support having thereon a sensitive layer comprising (i) an o-quinonediazide compound and (ii) a second compound, to actinic radiation which is able to convert the o-quinonediazide compound to the corresponding indenecarboxylic acid compound, and subsequent to said uniformly exposing imagewise exposing said exposed photosensitive material to a laser beam to thereby render the indenecarboxylic acid compound of the imagewise exposed areas convert to the corresponding indene compound and developing with an alkaline developing solution to dissolve out the unexposed area to the laser beam, wherein said second compound reduces the rate of dissolution of the laser exposed areas in the developing solution by converting the indenecarboxylic acid to the corresponding indene compound, whereby said image results.