In this paper we report on techniques for automatically learning foveal sensing strategies for an active pan-tiltzoom camera. The approach uses reinforcement learning to discover foveal actions maximizing the performance of visual detectors, that are in turn assumed to be highly correlated with the task at hand. In our case, the main goal is to recognize people, hence a frontal face detection module is employed. The system uses reinforcement learning to learn if, when and how to foveate on a subject, based on its previous experience in terms or successful actions in similar situations. An action is successful if it leads to a correct face detection in the high resolution images obtained when the subject is zoomed in. In contrast with existing methods, the proposed approach obviates the need for camera calibration and camera performance modeling. Also, the method does not rely on active tracking of targets. Experimental results show how the system is capable of learning foveation strategies without requiring extensive a priori information or environmental models. Results also illustrate how the system effectively learns a strategy that allows the camera to foveate only in situations where successful detection is highly likely.