A light emission control unit includes: a light emission control section configured to control a light emission timing of a flash used in an image pickup unit, in which the image pickup unit has a function of variably controlling, during exposure, an aperture diaphragm between a first diaphragm position and a second diaphragm position at which the aperture diaphragm is closed more than at the first diaphragm position, and the light emission control section allows the flash to emit light at a first timing at which the aperture diaphragm is closed to the second diaphragm position in an exposure section.