To solve such the problem that only brightness in a predetermined area including a touched and designated position in an image can be adjusted and a brightness level in any area other than a predetermined area (such as a face area) can not be changed.

In an image processing apparatus, a plurality of areas defined by contours on a live view image are previously set as subject areas whose luminance levels are to be changed. When a user touches a point within an arbitrary subject area on the live view image displayed on a touch panel LCD 12, a gamma curve is changed to alter the luminance level of the subject area including the touched point. This arrangement allows the user to alter the luminance level of the whole of the touched subject area only by touching a point within the desired subject area once, and also to select any arbitrary area of an subject as the subject area whose luminance level is to be changed.