Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including: a display panel having a plurality of picture elements configured to execute display by driving a liquid crystal layer; a backlight configured to illuminate a display surface of the display panel from a backside; a photodetector arranged on the plurality of picture elements and configured to receive a light entered from the side of the display surface of the display panel; and a detection block configured to execute image recognition in the proximity of the display surface from a difference between a photodetection amount in the photodetector in a state where an illuminating light from the backlight is radiated from the display surface and a photodetection amount in the photodetector in a state where the illuminating light is blocked before the display surface.