A graphic recognition device, method, and recognition program recognize graphics without being influenced by an image shadow area. Image input unit acquires the image of the outside environment of a vehicle using a vehicle mounted camera. A light source location information acquiring unit calculates location of a light source such as the sun using the acquired image. User vehicle shape acquiring unit and other vehicle shape acquiring unit generate shape information for the vehicles indicating the location of points forming vehicle contours. Shadow area calculating unit calculates, on the basis of both vehicles' shape information, the object shape information and the light source location information, the location coordinates of the shadow area, and converts the location coordinates into two-dimensional coordinates to the shadow/non-shadow area emphasis flag recognizing unit, which recognizes the flag in the image by judging the presence/absence of the recognition object in each shadow and non-shadow area specified.