A method and apparatus for reducing false color artifacts in digital images. Aperture correction and color saturation values are determined for a portion of an image surrounding a subject pixel. A color attenuation value is determined based at least in part on the aperture correction and color saturation values. A color value of the subject pixel is adjusted by an amount based at least in part on the color attenuation value. In one exemplary embodiment, the method and apparatus operate in the YUV color space and adjust U and V values of the subject pixel proportionally to the color attenuation value.