Photography With Background

There are several ways to achieve simplicity in a photograph. The most obvious (and easiest) form is to place the subject against a neutral background like a backdrop or the sky. Backgrounds can be entirely neutral, like a solid backdrop or a cloudless sky; or they can compliment the image, like a starfish on the sand.
The more technical method of achieving simplicity involves focusing on the subject while ensuring the background is unfocused. Macro settings on digital cameras tend to do this automatically, as they have a narrow depth of field to begin with; the same effect can be achieved with manual adjustment.