Good tutorial video by Bryan Peterson for Adorama on watching foregrounds and backgrounds and the use of selective focus.  Good primer for folks new to photography....

http://www.adorama.com/ALC/Article.aspx?googleid=0014237&alias=Use-Selective-Focus-And-Blurred-Foreground-To-Eliminate-Distracting-

Backgrounds&utm_source=RSYS&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Email042913PPSOP&j=Email042913PPSOP