Side lighting was used to bring out the details in the white chest feathers and provide a sense of dimension to the subject. 500mm was employed to separate the subject from the background while still providing a sense of environment.
1D Mark IV, 500mm
Manual (Spot on penguin chest +2EV), 1/800 @ f/8, ISO 200 (sunny f/16)
Post-production- 15in MBP, LR3, CS5, NIK
Hey Chas, great use of side lighting, I like the perfectly exposed whites, and the small rim shadow. The pose, and low angle are excellent. The BG is sufficiently blurred and provides a nice sense of habitat. The only thing that bothers me is the eye, which looks a bit dull. Overall an excellent image!