A method and apparatus for applying tonal correction to images to obtain a more pleasing photographic image by redistributing low-key, mid-tone and high-key tones. Luminance is calculated by using formulas appropriate for the color space or directly inputted. Two color-difference components are computed for the original image. Luminance is subjected to a tonal correction function to obtain a tonal corrected luminance. Luminance gain is calculated and applied to the color-difference components to obtain two tonal corrected color-difference components. The tonal corrected luminance and two tonal corrected color-difference components can be directly output or used to calculate three color component signals for the desired color space.