Why f/2.8?

Why f/2.8?: "I got asked an interesting question recently. It's a general rule of thumb that most landscape shots are made with the lens stopped way down to maximize depth of field. Given this, why would you need a lens with an f/2.8 aperture?...."

The most important part of this for us portrait shooters is in the fifth paragraph, focusing !!!
Steve

Gauzie and Blurr backgrounds a faster way

A loose lasso around the subject(s)
Inverse it
then chose the Average option under filter/blur

cheers !
steve