Heat-developable color diffusion transfer photographic element containing methine pigment releasing coupler

PURPOSE: To obtain the heat-developable color diffusion transfer photographic element containing the coupler for releasing the methine pigment superior in hues and light absorbance. CONSTITUTION: This photographic element comprises a dimensionally stable support, and one or more layers containing radiation-sensitive silver halide, an organic silver salt oxidant, a reducing agent, a methine pigment-releasing compound, and a binder, and the methine pigment is heat-diffusive in the photographic element and the methine pigment-releasing compound has a structure represented by the formula: Cp-L-M is which -L-M is a group to be released by coupling of a coupler group Cp with the oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine color developing agent, and the methine pigment group M is released after the release of -L-M by reaction with the Cp with the oxidation product of the color developing agent.