Automatic detection of chin positions is enabled from within digital images regardless of the facing directions of the faces. Faces having skin color are detected from input color images. Reference lines from center positions between eyes and center positions of mouths, which are included in faces are calculated, based on the faces detected by the face detecting section. Data that indicates statistical positional relationships among center positions between eyes, center positions of mouths, and chins therein are obtained. Probabilities that the reference lines calculated by the reference line calculating section include the positions of chins, based on the data that indicates the statistical positional relationships and the reference lines are calculated. Probabilities of skin colored pixels being present on the reference line are calculated. Rates of brightness variations along the reference line are calculated. Positions of chins are calculated based on combinations of the above the results of calculation.