With this gear, aim for soft, even light rather than truly “shadowless” light. Completely shadow-free portraits usually need a very large light source near the camera axis or lots of surrounding fill, and a single Speedlite is limited.

Best approach:

• Put the 430EX II into a white umbrella and use it close to the subject to make the light source larger and softer.
• Place it near camera axis for the fewest facial shadows, or slightly above/in front for natural-looking light.
• If you have a second light, a common setup is two umbrellas, one on each side of the camera, around 45° left/right and angled slightly downward.
• A clamshell setup also works well: one light above camera position and one below/in front for fill.
• Use white walls, ceiling, or reflector material to bounce light back into the shadow side.

A silver umbrella gives a more directional, contrasty result than a white umbrella, so white is usually better for softer portraits.

Also note: some facial shadow is usually flattering because it gives shape. If your goal is no background shadow, move the subject farther from the backdrop and light the background separately if possible.