A recording apparatus is configured to record an image on a recording medium by repeating a recording operation and a conveying operation. The recording operation is operative to apply a recording agent to the recording medium using a recording head while moving the recording head for scanning in a direction different from a predetermined direction. The recording head includes a plurality of recording elements arranged in the predetermined direction and adapted to apply the recording agent. The conveying operation is operative to convey the recording medium in a direction transverse to the scanning direction. The recording apparatus includes a recording control unit configured to perform the recording operation such that a number of the recording elements which are used to record an image on at least one of a front end portion and a rear end portion of the recording medium is reduced at a rate as compared to that of the recording elements which are used to record an image on a central portion of the recording medium, and a recording mode selecting unit configured to select a recording mode from a plurality of recording modes differing from one another in at least one of recording quality and recording time. The recording control unit changes the rate of reduction according to the recording mode selected by the recording mode selecting unit.