Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for applying color balancing to at least a portion of a digital image based on the digital image content. The color balancing process preferably operates in a gamma modified color space, transformed into an opponent color space with separate luminance and chromatic channels. The method also includes identifying a difference of at least one of the chromatic channels between an average color, determined for a region of interest in the digital image, and an ideal reference color for the feature the user desires to correct, as a basis for the color balancing process.