The stepping back changes the focal length of the lens and increases the depth of field and reduce distortion. In portrait work, it's done all the time and many have found that 200 mm gives a better perspective than 35mm or 50mm does. There have been times I even put a macro tube on my 100-400 lens so I could focus it closer and use it for a tight face shot. To get as close with a wide angle could create distortion (like the pictures of a dog or cow in a lens makes it seem like it's all nose and no face). If you can fill your view finder with what you want to take a picture of regardless of how far you are away from the subject, being further away is usually going to be better for a number of reasons and my main reason for suggesting it to Kelly was to gain a deeper depth of field. But, it probably adds another bit of complexity to the situation that she doesn't need.
Mike
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It's said that there is an artist inside each of us...unfortunately, mine left years ago and I've not seen him since.
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