Jan Piller asked this question in this topic: “Part 6 – the critique process explained” to this comment

Are you saying that if you “print” a portrait, it should only be a certain size? Could you clarify? (What about billboards? Or posters in photoshop windows etc? or are they not considered “finished art”) ??? Inquiring minds want to know.

It’s all to do with viewing distance. And yes, yes and take a look at statues in a gallery and dummies in shop windows. Art has a psycological impact on the viewer and that’s why this forum “What makes excellent portraiture” has the byline Thoughts on the philosophy of Classic Portrait Photography by the Photographers.

The mind of the average viewer starts to feel uncomfortable when a lifelike representation of the human head approaches lifesize. It starts to recoil. Once the lifelike representation becomes an obvious exaggeration the mind calms down again as it accepts that it is just that.

I mentioned shop window dummies. There are some lifelike, lifesize ones around. They are normally placed in shops where people cannot approach them closely. If they are left where people can approach them closely, they are given a wide berth – people don’t go close to them except when curiosity forces them to go in for a close look – then they retreat and will continue to avoid them.

Discomfort starts to get noticeable at about 90% lifesize and starts to wane at about 120%. This is for normal viewing distance!

I had a photo of a toddler that was beautiful as a 10”x8” print. I was doing a promo and had it printed and framed as a 24”x20”. When I got it back from the printers I was immediately uncomfortable with it myself but I had spent the money and I wasn’t going to waste it. I put it at my stand on an artists easel at the end of my table. Everyone walked around it at a distance. If they stopped to look at it, it was at a distance. I took it away and hung it high on the wall behind me and suddenly people were walking strait up to my stall.

I didn’t understand the psycology of it at the time but Monte Zucker was a Fort Knox of imformation

Wow!! that’s weird!! I wonder why the brain does that?? Now I’m gonna be trying to find answers online. hahah I love stuff like that! too weird! thanks Chris!

Thanks Chris! I would have never thought about it. Now the question is in my mind, how to avoid that, how to take a portrait, if they want to print it in large print, that it would be still good rather then scary for them. :) I don’t know, if you have anything written already about that rule or not, I guess I will have to check it out. I appreciate it all these info.