Sports photography question

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by billyb

One more question regarding photos with crop marks. To encapsulate or not to encapsulate, that is the question?

When PSA authenticates photos, they encapsulate them, but photos with crop marks, the buyers cannot remove these crop marks without damaging the seal of the holder.
Is it better to auction off photos, with crop marks, without PSA authentication?
Does value make that determination to authenticate/encapsulate or not? Remember, we are talking of photos with crop marks.

As with most things regarding photos, I don't think there is really a blanket statement that you can make regarding whether to encapsulate with crop marks in place or remove them prior to encapsulation.

There is another option though: Don't encapsulate. PSA doesn't have to encapsulate every photo that they authenticate. You also have the option of having them place their sticker on the back of the photo and issue an accompanying LOA.

I would say, in general, just use your best judgement. The markings on a photo that will negatively impact selling price are typically those that are more obtrusive than simple crop marks (large areas of the background whited out, big fat lines laid on top of the paint, etc), but those are also the kinds of modifications that you probably don't want to attempt removing yourself due to their extensive nature.

I would also say that, in that unusual circumstance where the editor's markings actually help to prove a photo's provenance (one of which we've talked about), you should definitely not remove them.