1. An image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup unit which converts an optical image into an image signal; a signal processor which processes the image signal from the image pickup unit, the signal processor performing automatic white balance control on the image signal; an image extracting unit which extracts an object by extracting a portion of the image signal representing the object; and a controller which controls the signal processor and the image extracting unit so as to enable accurate extraction of the object while substantially preventing a malfunction in the extraction of the object due to performance of the automatic white balance control during the extraction of the object; wherein the controller controls the signal processor to inhibit the automatic white balance control during the extraction of the object by the image extracting unit.