Digital Outback Photo has a good article about Depth Of Field, well worth a read for anyone interested in moving from taking snapshots to taking photos that appeal on an artistic level.
It covers the basics of Depth of Field, how to achieve it using a camera and why in some cases it is very difficult, it then introduces the new Photoshop CS Lens Blur Filter that can simulate this effect where it was too difficult to achieve using the camera alone.
One of the skills that separates novice photographers from the more experienced is an awareness and control over “Depth of Field” (commonly referred to by its abbreviation “DOF”). Sometimes, to get the shot, we need to use a very small aperture. When we do, not only is the subject in sharp focus, but features in the background and/or foreground can compete for attention. This tutorial will walk you through the steps in using a new feature in Adobe Photoshop CS: the Lens Blur filter.