A system and method for analyzing and classifying digital images as color, black-and-white, black-and-white with spot color, monochromatic, or monochromatic with spot color is provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a digital image is received and selected pixel values thereof are transformed from RGB color component values to a lightness component value and two color difference component values. The selected pixels are analyzed with respect to neutrality based upon the two color difference values and are grouped according to lightness value. The sample population distributions of each of the two color difference values are statistically analyzed for each group of pixels, and an image classification is determined by examination of the resulting statistics and derivatives thereof.