A method for enhancing an input image to produce an enhanced output image is provided. The method includes constructing a photographic-mask intermediate image without low-contrast details and a temporary-image intermediate image with enhanced mid-contrast details, retained high-contrast details, and reduced low-contrast details, and employing values for the photographic-mask intermediate image and temporary-image intermediate image to produce the enhanced output image that is globally and locally contrast-enhanced, sharpened, and denoised.