There is disclosed a silver halide photographic emulsion comprising silver halide grains, wherein 50% or more of the projected area of the silver halide grains to be contained is occupied by tabular grains having an aspect ratio of 2 or more and a grain thickness of 0.2 &mgr;m or less, with the tabular grains each having a phase with the content of silver bromide being 10% or more, and wherein in the phase, the tabular grains each contain a metal complex dopant in an amount necessary to increase the density of a dislocation. This emulsion produces high contrast and better granularity while it has high sensitivity. Further, there is also disclosed a silver halide photographic emulsion, wherein the average equivalent-circle diameter of the total tabular grains among the silver halide grains contained is 2.0 to 4.0 &mgr;m, and the tabular grains contain at least one metal complex having, as a ligand, a heterocyclic compound in a number more than half of the coordination number of the metal atom. This emulsion has high sensitivity and excellent photographic characteristics exhibiting little change of gradation upon exposure to high-intensity illumination. In addition, the present invention provides a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material using the emulsion, and a color image forming process that is simple and rapid and places little load on the environment, using the material.