beginner portrait shots with 7d & 430ex?

[scatternobrains]

Hi everyone,

I was a lucky girl and got a 7D for xmas replacing my 350D, I think I have got to grips with the camera a lot quicker than I was expecting so I am extremely happy and eager to experiment.

I would really like to get a few nice shots of the children, mainly for a canvas for nannys birthday but they hide when they see the camera as they get fed up of my practicing.
I have a mottled grey (light one side and dark the other) background and any walls curtains, backgrounds available to me at home or in the garden. I would like a nice white background but I think I need lighting to get a proper bright white background so will have to make do with what I have for now.

I have worked out how to use the 430ex wirelessly off the camera despite losing the manual but I have ABSOLUTELY no idea about lighting so I know I have weeks/month/years of trial and errors in front of me but I wondered if anybody could give me any advice that might help me get an ok picture as a start?

Thanks
Kerry

[Rentham]

Get a stand, umbrella bracket, and 60" shoot thru umbrella. Put it 45 degrees to your left and angle it down 45 degrees toward the subject. Move it in as close as you can without it being in the frame. Tada!