How to get crispy shots of the subject with a blurred background? You need to know what depth of field is and what determines it.
Although the exact focus occurs in a single point there is a range (in distance) in which there appears to be focus in your photo. This is the Depth of Field (DOF).
The DOF is affected mainly by apperture size and focal length (zoom). The bigger the aperture (lower f-number) and the longer the focal length (more zoom) the smaller the depth of field is.
So next time you are taking a portrait shot, max up the aperture and use a zoom lens (80mm+).
Of course, you can also use the portrait mode 
if you have a newer SLR camera and it will do exactly the above for you.
More on depth of field
PS Photo taken by Tomas Hancka (more photos)
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