Image capturing apparatus and image capturing method for exposure compensation in high dynamic range synthesized images

The present technology relates to an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method that a high dynamic range synthesized image can be subjected to exposure compensation desired by a user. There is provided an image capturing apparatus including an image capturing unit that captures an image of an object and generates a captured-image data item; an exposure compensation amount setting unit that sets an exposure compensation amount for compensating an exposure amount of the image capturing unit; an exposure control unit that controls exposure of the image capturing unit on the basis of the exposure compensation amount set by the exposure compensation amount setting unit; a signal synthesizing unit that synthesizes a plurality of the captured-image data items captured by the image capturing unit at a plurality of different exposure amounts set by the exposure control unit and generates a synthesized data item; a gradation conversion unit that converts gradation of the synthesized data item generated by the signal synthesizing unit; and a gradation control unit that controls gradation conversion by the gradation conversion unit on the basis of the exposure compensation amount set by the exposure compensation amount setting unit. The present technology is applicable to an image capturing apparatus such as a digital still camera including an exposure compensation function.