Gear is part of the equation, but the camera settings are just as essential. The camera setting that determines that background blur is called aperture. This refers to how wide (or narrow) the hole in the lens is.
Aperture is designated by f-numbers; higher numbers mean a smaller lens opening. An f/1.8 is a wide aperture, and f/11 is a narrow aperture.
A wide aperture will create what’s called a shallow depth of field. In an image with a shallow depth of field, very little of the image is in focus.
There may be an inch of distance in the image that’s sharp, and the rest of the objects outside that range is blurred. That shallow depth of field is key to getting that background blur.
The narrower your aperture is, the more of the image is sharp. That tiny bit of distance that’s in focus at f/1.8 expands as you increase the aperture.
A wide aperture creates that soft, blurred background. A narrow aperture leaves more of the image in focus.
Just because a wide aperture creates that blurred background doesn’t mean you always want to shoot portraits at the widest aperture that your lens allows. If you shoot a group photo at f/1.8, most of the group won’t be in focus.
That additional depth of field is needed when taking portraits of more than one person, unless everyone is standing the exact same distance from the camera.Even when photographing a single person, don’t leave the aperture at the widest possible setting. A narrower aperture might be necessary to get both eyes in focus if the subject is standing at a slant.
The portrait background is an important part of the image in environmental portraits, for example. So use a narrower aperture to keep more of those background details intact.
So how do you adjust the aperture for that background blur? Use aperture priority mode on your camera, or, manual mode for more advanced users.
Every camera is a bit different. But typically in that aperture priority mode, one of the control wheels on the right side of the camera adjusts aperture. On some cameras/lenses, the aperture control is around the lens barrel.
You should see those f-numbers change as you move the control. This will be either on the screen or displayed on the viewfinder. If you’re unsure, consult your camera’s user manual.
As you adjust your aperture, make sure the shutter speed doesn’t fall too low. You’ll end up with an entirely different kind of blur (and not a pleasant one either).
As a guideline, you should be using a shutter speed with that bottom number at or higher than the lens you are using. A 50mm lens should use at least 1/50th handheld, for example.
If the shutter speed drops too low while in aperture priority mode, increase the camera’s ISO.
Aperture priority mode will get you started shooting those blurry backgrounds. But manual mode will help you balance it all and control the entire exposure. Learn more about manual mode here.
How to Create a Blurred Background in Portrait Photos
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A blurred background draws the focus to what’s important. It also often plays a part in differentiating the professional portrait from the casual snapshot.
But how, exactly, do you create a blurry background? Through a mixture of gear, settings, and subject placement.
Here’s how.
Wide Aperture Lens
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Create stunning portraits with a beautiful blurred background using a wide aperture lens. Solution: the lens in question, which has a maximum aperture of f/1.2.
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What You’ll Need to Create a Blurred Background
The gear that you use will make that blurred background easier or more difficult to achieve. While getting that background blur isn’t all about the gear, it’s a big part of the equation.
Here’s the gear that’s best for background blur, and why.
Camera With a Larger Sensor
This can be a mirrorless or DSLR camera.
The larger the camera sensor is, the easier it is to get that background blur. That’s why you see smartphone companies creating fake background blur through software in portrait modes. The sensors are so small that it’s difficult to create that background blur in camera.
A full frame camera will get you the most background blur (unless of course you have the budget for medium format). But even a budget DSLR or mirrorless camera or a compact camera with an APS-C sensor inside will still offer a good amount of that background blur.
Wide Aperture Lens
The aperture of the lens is one setting that helps create that background blur. But different lenses have different aperture settings available. Ideally, for a blurred background, you should use a lens that has at least an f/2.8 aperture available.
Lower f-numbers will offer even more blur. A 50mm f/1.8 is even better, with several manufacturers offering options for less than $300.
An f/1.4 is even blurrier, but these lenses sit at a much higher price point.
Telephoto Lens (Optional)
Contrary to popular belief, a lens with a longer focal length doesn’t actually create more blur. However, the longer the focal length, the more compressed (or closer) that background appears.
That brings that blur closer and tends to exaggerate the blur more than short lenses.
Background blur is exaggerated with a longer lens. But it’s still possible to get nice background blur with a wide angle lens.
Note that portrait photographers also tend to prefer longer focal lengths. These also tend to be more flattering.
How to Blur a Background Using Aperture
Gear is part of the equation, but the camera settings are just as essential. The camera setting that determines that background blur is called aperture. This refers to how wide (or narrow) the hole in the lens is.
Aperture is designated by f-numbers; higher numbers mean a smaller lens opening. An f/1.8 is a wide aperture, and f/11 is a narrow aperture.
A wide aperture will create what’s called a shallow depth of field. In an image with a shallow depth of field, very little of the image is in focus.
There may be an inch of distance in the image that’s sharp, and the rest of the objects outside that range is blurred. That shallow depth of field is key to getting that background blur.
The narrower your aperture is, the more of the image is sharp. That tiny bit of distance that’s in focus at f/1.8 expands as you increase the aperture.
A wide aperture creates that soft, blurred background. A narrow aperture leaves more of the image in focus.
Just because a wide aperture creates that blurred background doesn’t mean you always want to shoot portraits at the widest aperture that your lens allows. If you shoot a group photo at f/1.8, most of the group won’t be in focus.
That additional depth of field is needed when taking portraits of more than one person, unless everyone is standing the exact same distance from the camera. 
Even when photographing a single person, don’t leave the aperture at the widest possible setting. A narrower aperture might be necessary to get both eyes in focus if the subject is standing at a slant.
The portrait background is an important part of the image in environmental portraits, for example. So use a narrower aperture to keep more of those background details intact.
So how do you adjust the aperture for that background blur? Use aperture priority mode on your camera, or, manual mode for more advanced users.
Every camera is a bit different. But typically in that aperture priority mode, one of the control wheels on the right side of the camera adjusts aperture. On some cameras/lenses, the aperture control is around the lens barrel.
You should see those f-numbers change as you move the control. This will be either on the screen or displayed on the viewfinder. If you’re unsure, consult your camera’s user manual.
As you adjust your aperture, make sure the shutter speed doesn’t fall too low. You’ll end up with an entirely different kind of blur (and not a pleasant one either).
As a guideline, you should be using a shutter speed with that bottom number at or higher than the lens you are using. A 50mm lens should use at least 1/50th handheld, for example.
If the shutter speed drops too low while in aperture priority mode, increase the camera’s ISO.
Aperture priority mode will get you started shooting those blurry backgrounds. But manual mode will help you balance it all and control the entire exposure. Learn more about manual mode here.
Aperture and gear plays a big role in how blurred that background looks. But there’s one more piece to the puzzle on soft backgrounds — and it’s the simplest of the bunch.
A lens focuses based on distance — something the same distance from the camera as the subject will be just as sharp.
The farther away the background is from the subject, the blurrier that background will be. If you take a portrait of someone leaning against a brick wall, even at f/1.8, that wall will only be slightly blurred.
Try taking a portrait of someone standing several feet in front of that same wall. The wall will create a much softer background. 
Try moving the subject farther away from the background. Or add more empty space between the subject and the background. This will help create more of that blur.
Why would I blur the background?
The general purpose of blurring the background is to create a visual separation between the subject of your composition and the background.
The blurry background allows you to “discard” or rather “mute” anything else that would ruin your composition by creating clutter and distracting the viewer’s attention.
It is most often used in portrait photography. It is also applied in wildlife, sports or macro photography.
Blurred means out of focus
By blurry background, we mean an area in your photograph that appears out of focus.
The “amount of blurriness” is something closely related to the concept of Depth of Field (DOF) in photography.
Depth of field (DOF) is the distance between the closest and the farthest objects in your image that are acceptably sharp. Everything in your image that is beyond the depth of field will appear blurred.
OK, enough theory. Let’s see how you can blur your background right now.
How to Take Photos with Blurred Background – Step by Step
Let’s imagine you want to take a portrait of someone. You want your subject to appear sharp with a nicely blurred background behind him. What can you do?
Here is the 4-step process to achieving it:
01. Use aperture priority mode
If your camera allows it (and most cameras do), switch to aperture priority shooting mode, labeled as A or Av.
In this mode, you will be selecting your aperture only. Your camera will take care of the appropriate shutter speeds. This way you will be able to use an aperture value (f-stop) of your choice which you can’t do in program mode.
02. Choose the widest possible aperture
Your camera has a button, a dial or an aperture ring on the lens that controls the aperture. Use it to select the widest possible aperture your lens allows for. It can be f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.8 or f/4, depending on what lens you have.
03. Use a longer focal length
Every lens has a particular focal length. Some have a fixed one (prime lenses) and others support a whole range (zoom lenses). By focal length, we mean the capability of a lens to zoom the object.
As a rule, longer focal lengths allow for a greater blurring of the background (shallow depth of field).
Think of anything that’s longer than 50mm. An 85mm lens is a classical portrait lens that will beautifully blur your background. And the more millimeters you add, the greater the blur effect.
If you have a zoom lens, rotate it all the way to the longest focal length.
For example, if you use a 18-55mm kit lens, the 55mm focal length has the best potential to create a blurred effect.
04. Get closer to your subject
Another aspect that affects background blur is the distance to your subject.
The shorter the shooting distance, the shallower the depth of field (and so the blurrier your background). Plus, the further the background from your subject, the higher level of blurriness you can achieve.
For example, if you place your subject against a wall, it is almost impossible to achieve a blurred effect. However, if you have a city panorama across the river behind your subject, it will be much easier to create a blurred effect.
Now focus on your subject (it’s best to focus on his eyes) by pressing the shutter button halfway. Finally, when you hear the sound that confirms autofocus lock, press the button all the way down. If all is well, your background will appear soft and blurry.
If you to analyze the photo above, you can see that I used all 4 steps I outlined earlier.
I used aperture priority mode, I chose the widest aperture of f/1.4. The shooting distance was about 2 meters and the background was extremely far behind the model.
