An image pickup apparatus and recording method that can further improve ease-of-use for the user creates directories according to shooting situations selected from multiple predetermined types of shooting situations, assigns image data produced as a result of photographing a subject to the directories according to the selected shooting situations, attaches identification information to the image data according to the selected shooting situations, and stores the image data to which the identification information is attached, together with an application program of one or more specified applications, so as to associate the image data with the applications.