An apparatus may include an image sensor that contains a multiplicity of pixel elements to detect one or more images and a processor circuit coupled to the image sensor. The apparatus may include a white balance module for execution on the processor circuit to receive, based upon a detected image of the one or more images, for a plurality of pixel elements of the multiplicity of pixel elements, three of more gray level values for a respective three or more color channels, to determine grayness likelihood functions for the respective three or more color channels, the three or more grayness likelihood functions comprising a proportional contribution to grey pixels of the detected image from one or more gray levels for each respective color channel, and to determine a white balance gain for two or more color channels based upon the determined grayness likelihood functions. Other embodiments are described and claimed.