Silent reflection

Most of the time I don't crop too much. Not that I am one of those purist who believe that to crop is to commit a heinous crime against true photography. I will crop if I think it improves the image. This one I had to reluctantly crop more than I would have liked with the result being the subject is too close to the viewer. The problem is that my favourite lens has developed a problem that even the techno experts have failed to solve. I get a largish random black smudge in the bottom right of the picture in about 6 in ten shots. I have gone over all the usual suspects and their assured cures for such an infliction, but alas all has failed to solve the issue. I even resorted to paid help from a Nikon technician. The experts have let me down. I can continue to use the lens and crop or I could resort to photoshop - I hate photoshop - or I could discard the lens and replace it with a new reversed and improved edition. It is not 100% proven it it a lens issue. Could be the sensor, but the problem only occurs with this one lens, so I suspect the lens based on flimsy evidence. It really is a pain in the arse as one is inclined to say.

By the way, the personage in the frame is cycling legend Steve Bauer. Thanks Steve.