Silver halide light sensitive photographic elements are disclosed comprising a support bearing at least one yellow image forming hydrophilic colloid layer comprising a yellow dye-forming coupler and a trialkyl citrate coupler solvent of the formula C3H4(OH)(CO2R)3, where each R independently represents an alkyl group and the total number of carbon atoms for the three R groups combined is greater than 6. The combination of such citrate ester solvents with yellow dye forming couplers in photographic elements leads to both good reactivity and good image-dye light stability. The advantages of the invention are particularly useful for photographic color paper elements on reflective supports.