1. An image recognition apparatus comprising: an objective image data acquisition unit to acquire objective image data containing a face image portion; a feature area detection unit to detect an eye area corresponding to left and right eyes contained in the objective image data; an inclination estimation unit to estimate inclination of the face image portion in a depth direction thereof based on the relative position of the detected eye area; an area-to-be-extracted determination unit to determine a shape of an area to be extracted in response to the inclination estimated by the inclination estimation unit; and an area-to-be-extracted extraction unit to extract the area to be extracted of the shape determined from the objective image data, wherein the area to be extracted is subjected to predetermined processing.