Now is not the time (if ever) to defoliate your plant, she needs every healthy green leaf she has to produce the energy she needs to grow her biggest and best flowers. Removing leaves will just cause a reduction in energy making potential, leading to slower and smaller growth. It is best to leave all leaves in place to do their job of making energy and to only remove any yellow leaves, for by the time they are yellow, they have served their purpose. Your flowers will be bigger and better with the maximum energy and there is no reason to remove any leaves, and it is unnecessary to worry about any shaded flowers, they will still grow and be potent as long as there is maximum energy being made.
Hope this helps,.........
Organoman.