How to get a shallow depth of feel on a DSLR camera?

I have a Nikon D40 and am trying to get a shallow depth of feel. All i know is that the aperture has to be wide open. What are the setting is should set the camera to to do this?

Uh… "field"

It's "depth of field"

There are a couple of things you need to create shallow depth of field.

* a fast lens, f/2.8 or faster
* a medium telephoto lens or longer
* have the subject set close to your camera at its closes focus point.

The distance from the camera to the subject is one of the most important factors.

The shorter the focal length of the lens the closer you have to be to the subject

http://aviewfinderdarkly.com.au/2011/04/27/how-to-use-depth-of-field-for-landscape-and-portrait-photography/

The closer you are to the subject and the widest aperture (lowest f number) on your lens will give you the narrowest depth of field your camera is capable of.

Cameras with a larger sensor and lenses with a wider aperture and/or can focus closer (e.g.a Macro lens) can get an even narrower DOF.

Focal length only determines how far from the subject to frame the shot you are, it has nothing to do with depth of field.

If I were to fill the frame with your left eye (as an example) with a 50mm lens I would be a few inches away, with a 500mm lens I would be a few yards away, at the same aperture on both lenses depth of field would be exactly the same.

Position your subject as far away to the background as possible, stay as close to your subject as possible, set the lens to smallest f/number then shoot.

Depends on the lens and the subject…

if you are using a kit lens, then you need the subject very close…

if you have a 50mm f/1.4 lens, not quite so close…

If you are using an automatic lens, set the camera to "aperture priority". That's usually an A on the mode selector dial. Then set the aperture wide open, or at the smallest f stop.

If you are using a manual lens, set the camera to manual, then set the aperture on the lens to the smallest f stop (widest aperture), usually 1.4 or 1.8.

As others have said, in addition to f stop, depth of field also depends on lens focal length and distance from subject. In general, to get a shallow depth of field, use a telephoto lens at wide aperture and have the subject stand as close to the camera as possible and still get good focus.