A color image enhancement method, for enhancing the color of a color image comprising a plurality of pixels. The method comprises: mapping a color saturation value of each pixel to a normalized saturation value, wherein the range of values of normalized saturation is the same independent of the luminance value of the pixel; estimating a probability distribution of the normalized saturation values; defining a transfer function for modifying the normalized saturation values, based on the estimated probability distribution; and applying the transfer function to the normalized saturation values to generate modified values.