diff --git a/deepface/DeepFace.py b/deepface/DeepFace.py
index a81f8f1..803616f 100644
--- a/deepface/DeepFace.py
+++ b/deepface/DeepFace.py
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ def represent(
     expand_percentage: int = 0,
     normalization: str = "base",
     anti_spoofing: bool = False,
+    max_faces: Optional[int] = None,
 ) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
     """
     Represent facial images as multi-dimensional vector embeddings.
@@ -390,6 +391,8 @@ def represent(
 
         anti_spoofing (boolean): Flag to enable anti spoofing (default is False).
 
+        max_faces (int): Set a limit on the number of faces to be processed (default is None).
+
     Returns:
         results (List[Dict[str, Any]]): A list of dictionaries, each containing the
             following fields:
@@ -415,6 +418,7 @@ def represent(
         expand_percentage=expand_percentage,
         normalization=normalization,
         anti_spoofing=anti_spoofing,
+        max_faces=max_faces,
     )
 
 
@@ -483,7 +487,7 @@ def extract_faces(
     align: bool = True,
     expand_percentage: int = 0,
     grayscale: bool = False,
-    color_face: str = 'rgb',
+    color_face: str = "rgb",
     normalize_face: bool = True,
     anti_spoofing: bool = False,
 ) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
diff --git a/deepface/api/src/modules/core/routes.py b/deepface/api/src/modules/core/routes.py
index 98f624a..8d68acc 100644
--- a/deepface/api/src/modules/core/routes.py
+++ b/deepface/api/src/modules/core/routes.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ def represent():
         enforce_detection=input_args.get("enforce_detection", True),
         align=input_args.get("align", True),
         anti_spoofing=input_args.get("anti_spoofing", False),
+        max_faces=input_args.get("max_faces"),
     )
 
     logger.debug(obj)
diff --git a/deepface/api/src/modules/core/service.py b/deepface/api/src/modules/core/service.py
index 4188229..2994300 100644
--- a/deepface/api/src/modules/core/service.py
+++ b/deepface/api/src/modules/core/service.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # built-in dependencies
 import traceback
+from typing import Optional
 
 # project dependencies
 from deepface import DeepFace
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ def represent(
     enforce_detection: bool,
     align: bool,
     anti_spoofing: bool,
+    max_faces: Optional[int] = None,
 ):
     try:
         result = {}
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@ def represent(
             enforce_detection=enforce_detection,
             align=align,
             anti_spoofing=anti_spoofing,
+            max_faces=max_faces,
         )
         result["results"] = embedding_objs
         return result
diff --git a/deepface/modules/representation.py b/deepface/modules/representation.py
index b228288..5a1036b 100644
--- a/deepface/modules/representation.py
+++ b/deepface/modules/representation.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # built-in dependencies
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Union
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Union, Optional
 
 # 3rd party dependencies
 import numpy as np
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ def represent(
     expand_percentage: int = 0,
     normalization: str = "base",
     anti_spoofing: bool = False,
+    max_faces: Optional[int] = None,
 ) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
     """
     Represent facial images as multi-dimensional vector embeddings.
@@ -46,6 +47,8 @@ def represent(
 
         anti_spoofing (boolean): Flag to enable anti spoofing (default is False).
 
+        max_faces (int): Set a limit on the number of faces to be processed (default is None).
+
     Returns:
         results (List[Dict[str, Any]]): A list of dictionaries, each containing the
             following fields:
@@ -94,6 +97,16 @@ def represent(
         ]
     # ---------------------------------
 
+    if max_faces is not None and max_faces < len(img_objs):
+        # sort as largest facial areas come first
+        img_objs = sorted(
+            img_objs,
+            key=lambda img_obj: img_obj["facial_area"]["w"] * img_obj["facial_area"]["h"],
+            reverse=True,
+        )
+        # discard rest of the items
+        img_objs = img_objs[0:max_faces]
+
     for img_obj in img_objs:
         if anti_spoofing is True and img_obj.get("is_real", True) is False:
             raise ValueError("Spoof detected in the given image.")
@@ -117,10 +130,12 @@ def represent(
 
         embedding = model.forward(img)
 
-        resp_obj = {}
-        resp_obj["embedding"] = embedding
-        resp_obj["facial_area"] = region
-        resp_obj["face_confidence"] = confidence
-        resp_objs.append(resp_obj)
+        resp_objs.append(
+            {
+                "embedding": embedding,
+                "facial_area": region,
+                "face_confidence": confidence,
+            }
+        )
 
     return resp_objs