The present invention relates to a sample information acquisition apparatus including a determination unit that determines a state of contact between a probe and a sample and whether the sample is on an optical path on the basis of an ultrasonic echo signal of ultrasonic waves received by the probe for the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the probe, prior to generation of a photoacoustic image； and a control unit that causes a light irradiating unit to irradiate the sample with light on the basis of a result of the determination. The determination unit determines the state of contact on the basis of information about multiple ultrasonic echo signals received by multiple transducers that are set apart from each other, among the multiple ultrasonic echo signals received by the multiple transducers in response to the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the multiple transducers in the probe.
