A photoacoustic apparatus sets a light irradiation timing such that a subject is irradiated with pulsed light at least once within a period extending from a start timing determined on the basis of a generation timing of an R-wave in an electrocardiogram signal to a point at which a first time extending from the generation timing of the R-wave in the electrocardiogram signal to a generation timing of a T-wave in the electrocardiogram signal elapses, and sets the light irradiation timing such that the subject is not irradiated with the pulsed light in a period outside the period extending from the start timing to a point at which the first time elapses.