A method and apparatus for controlling a mobile terminal through use of user interaction are provided. The method includes operating in a vision recognition mode that generates a vision recognition image through use of a signal output from a second plurality of pixels designated as vision pixels from among a plurality of pixels of an image sensor included in the mobile terminal; determining whether a predetermined object in the vision recognition image corresponds to a person; determining a gesture of the predetermined object when the predetermined object corresponds to the person; and performing a control function of the mobile terminal corresponding to the gesture of the predetermined object.