1. An image processing apparatus that detects a face area from image information, the image processing apparatus comprising: a storage unit to store a determination pattern, the determination pattern being used to detect a face area from image information; and a processor including, a determining unit to determine a face direction in which a face image in an image information is upright based on the determination pattern; and a detecting unit to match the direction of the image information with the direction of the determination pattern based on the face direction, and to detect a face area from the image information, wherein the determination pattern includes a higher hierarchy pattern and a lower hierarchy pattern such that determining the lower hierarchy pattern requires more calculation than the determination of the higher hierarchy pattern, the determining unit determines the face direction in order from the higher hierarchy pattern to the lower hierarchy pattern, if the face direction can be determined by using the higher hierarchy pattern, finish the determination of the face direction without using the lower hierarchy pattern, and if the face direction cannot be determined by using the higher hierarchy pattern, determine the face direction using the lower hierarchy pattern.