Tip #5 is all about bokeh - for art and getting rid of busy backgrounds.
Bokeh is not just a blurred background. Certain lenses can make bokeh into pretty cool shapes. By adding bokeh, you draw the attention to a very specific point in the picture.
What makes bokeh is the combination of three things.
1) a large aperature (small f-stop number, such as f/2).
2) a long focal length (a 200mm lens will give more bokeh than a 24mm lens)
3) increasing distance between subject and background.
Many lenses that have larger aperatures can get quite pricey, but there are some affordable lenses with large aperatures out there. For instance, Canon makes a nice little 50mm f/1.8 which is around $90. But, if you simply don't want another lens, work on the other two points...
Start by getting the aperature as large as possible while shooting in "aperature priority" mode (this may be around f/5.6 for many zoom lenses). Next, use a longer focal length. Finally, move your subject further forward from the background.
Mostly, have fun experimenting with creating bokeh!
Feel free to comment if you have any questions.
