A method for correcting the color balance of an input digital color image in an input color space captured under a capture illuminant to produce a balanced digital color image includes transforming the input digital color image to a balancing color space, wherein the balancing color space has three color channels corresponding to three color space primaries, the color space primaries being chosen so that minimal color errors can be produced when correcting the color balance for a set of one or more capture illuminants relative to aim colors that would be produced if the digital color image were captured under reference conditions; and correcting the color balance of the input digital color image in the balancing color space to produce a balanced digital color image having minimal color errors relative to aim colors that would be produced if the digital color image were captured under reference conditions.