1. An image display method of adding a special effect to a plurality of still images, changing the plurality of still images in time series, and sequentially displaying the plurality of still images by a slide show, said image display method comprising the following steps executed by an image display apparatus: a detection step of detecting a feature area from a still image which is subjected to display by the slide show; a determination step of determining a special effect used for a still image of which the feature area is detected in said detection step, wherein the special effect is a panning from a display state wherein a predetermined sized area containing one feature area is extracted and enlarged to a display state wherein a predetermined sized area containing another feature area is extracted and enlarged; and a display control step of displaying the still image with the use of the determined special effect, wherein in said determination step, the extracted area size is determined on the basis of a distance between the one feature area and the another feature area.