A Focal Point - Why?

The focal point of a lens and a photograph share similar functions -- they concentrate or focus the light or the viewer's eye to a specific point on a given plane. Digitally or traditionally, photography wouldn't exist without this key element, but does the same significance hold true when examining the finished product -- the image? The focal point of a photograph is usually the image's main subject, however the viewer's eye may be drawn(through the use of several compositional techniques)to a different place in the photograph, thus allowing the photographer to control or determine the viewer's point of view.

In many instances(especially in newsphotography), information about the photograph is explicit -- there are distinct visual clues identifying the subject, what they are doing, and when and where the picture was taken. In other cases, the information is implicit -- implied or not clearly communicated by the photographer and left for the viewer to imagine or infer. When the context of a photo is unclear, viewers often make assumptions based on their own experiences and values, possibly altering or even misinterpreting the message the image was truly meant to communicate.

So just how relevant is a clear focal point in your photographs? That's really up to you, the photographer, to decide.