The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that make it possible to more accurately specify a photographic subject in an image.A photographic subject map generating unit 21 generates, based on an input image, a photographic subject map indicating the likeliness of each region of the input image being a region of a photographic subject. A gradient map generating unit 22 generates a gradient map indicating the degree of change of the likeliness of the photographic subject map being a photographic subject. A threshold processing unit 23 and a threshold processing unit 24 binarize the gradient map using a high threshold THh and a low threshold TH1, and obtain threshold maps. A composite map generating unit 25 generates a composite map indicating the likeliness of each region of the input image being a photographic subject by regarding that, among regions specified as being likely to be a photographic subject based on the threshold map of the low threshold TH1, a region including a region specified as being likely to be a photographic subject based on the threshold map of the high threshold THh is a region of a photographic subject. The present invention is applicable to an image processing apparatus.