1. A method for converting a color image to a monochrome image that takes into account chrominance variations, the method comprising: receiving the color image via an image input device; converting the color image into an original luminance component and one or more chrominance components using a color transformation device; high pass filtering at least one chrominance component of the color image using one or more high pass filters to compute at least one high pass filtered chrominance component; modifying the original luminance component of the color image based upon the at least one high pass filtered chrominance component using a feedback unit to create a modified luminance signal; generating a monochrome output image directly from and based upon the modified luminance signal using an output device, high pass filtering a luminance component of the color image to compute a high pass filtered luminance component using the one or more high pass filters; and weighting the at least one high pass filtered chrominance component by a weighting factor based upon the high pass filtered luminance component using a processing unit.