Rapid development of silver bromoiodide color negative photographic films and formation of high quality negative images suitable for scanning to produce display images of excellent quality is made possible by a novel developer solution composition and method of development. The solution is characterized by containing, in addition to the color developer compound and conventional photographic developer solution components, a water soluble pyrrolidone polymer, a high concentration of sulfite ion and a low concentration, or the absence of, bromide ion. In the novel method the developer composition contacts the exposed film at elevated temperature, e.g., 40 to 66° C., for a short development time, e.g., 20 to 90 seconds. The developed image has image quality suitable for scanning and digital manipulation to produce a digital record for forming a color display image of high quality.