As I have over 45 years of photographs to choose from since getting into this business, that ultimate "best" is a bit difficult, but from the perspective of sheer difficulty in all aspects (concept, organisation, use of fledgling techniques, work involved in final production, as well as success in the result) it probably is this one:
Titled "Elia", taken on August 8 2006 in the Upper Florentine Forests, Tasmania using a D2X and 17-35/2.8 lens, 2 second exposures @ 400 ISO, it is a 7 frame pano involving focus stacking of two layers, for which over 60 shots were taken (remember what digital ISO above 400 and the science of photo stacking was like was like in 2006?
). Final print made on Canson Canvas, image size 58"x21.5".
Though hard to see here but there are six people secreted in the background as well, with the purposeful aim of at least getting into the finals of the inaugural National Photographic Portrait Prize of the Australian National Portrait Gallery. It achieved that goal (narrowly beaten by the eventual winner, but still one of two images displayed alongside the ultimate winning entry on the gallery website), and went on to take the jurors prize at the Photography 27 Exhibition at the Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown, NJ, eventually to be acquired by the Photographic Collection, Philadelphia Museum for the Arts.
Subject was of protesters involved in an anti-logging blockade in the old growth forest in South West Tasmania, and while that blockade failed to a degree, logging was halted after the initial phase, and further campaigning finally concluded in 2012 after the blockade was repeatedly broken up by the police and logging interests and always immediately re-established and continuously maintained despite arrests, jailings and mass community protests. The whole area was successfully listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Area as a final result. Whilst this photo was just a very small part of the overall drama, it punched way above its weight for the sheer positive publicity it gained, both locally and internationally. It is also on of my favourite pictures, so let's call it my best in light of all that.