It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, so pour yourself a drink and let’s cheers to Friday. This week, our round-up features stories behind photographers’ worst shots (via The Guardian and Petapixel), shooting March Madness with Jared Wickerham, the LUCEO Student Project Awards, some exciting photography events to look forward to look for this Spring, plus PhotoShelter’s latest mini-magazine hot off the presses. Let’s get started.

Photographers’ Worst Shots

This week The Guardian and Petapixel posted an article on stories behind what a few notable photographers call their “worst shot.” The Guardian often asks photographers to describe their best shot, but this time they wanted to know – what about the worst? Blogger Sarah Phillips asked this question to a few prominent photographers including Jane Bown, Martin Parr, Terry O’Neill, and others including Platon. When asked about his well-known shot of Ahmadinejad and why this was actually a missed opportunity, Platon said, “It was a missed opportunity, in the sense that he was trying to gather himself and deal with the embarrassment of performing in front of all those people. On the other hand, it gave me something I would never have expected. No one thinks of Ahmadinejad as a man with a hint of a smile.”

March Madness from the POV of Jared Wickerham

Pittsburgh-based sports photographer Jared Wickerham has gotten up close to some of the most exciting games at March Madness this year. Jared caught this shot of the Ohio State Buckeyes vs the Loyola Greyhounds a few weeks ago and wrote  about the experience directly on his blog. “Ever since receiving an email from my assignment editor at Getty Images asking me to cover the second and third rounds of the NCAA Tournament, I’ve been looking forward to shooting the passion, emotion, and great action that one of the biggest events in sports, brings every year.” Are you shooting some of the action during the NCAA Final Four this weekend? Let us know, we’d love to check it out.

Palm Springs Photo Festival Kicks Off

From April 1 – April 6, the 2012 Palm Spring Photo Festival is taking place is sunny Palm Springs, California. Dubbed as America’s premier event for emerging and advanced amateur photographers, this year is sure not to disappoint. Workshops and seminars will run all week, led by some the most respected names in the industry. Seminars will cover technical and business tips, including social media marketing, photo book publishing, mastering Photoshop, finding your audience, and a whole lot more. Allen will also be there joining a panel with photographer and entrepreneur Michael Costuros on Tuesday evening to discuss how to make smart business decisions in today’s market. If you’re there, stop by and say hello.

LUCEO Student Project Awards

Our friends at LUCEO Images are hosting the Third Annual LUCEO Student Project Awards. Students are encouraged to submit a project proposal and explain the artistic or journalist merit behind it. Last year, the winner was Maddie McGarvey from Ohio University who received $1,000 and mentorship from a LUCEO member of her choice.

This year, LUCEO will select 10 finalists and then a panel of judges, presided over by AARP Interim Director of Photography Michael Wichita, will select the final recipient in June at LOOK3: The Festival of the Photograph. The deadline to enter is May 10, 2012. Interested or know someone who would be? You can fill out the application here.

Mid-West Photo Summit is around the corner

Traveling through Chicago in two weeks? Northwestern University and the Illinois PPA is hosting The Midwest Photo Summit from April 13-April 15th. Press photographers will gather to hear a list of keynote speakers including Sol Neelman, James Gregg, Scott Strazzante, Mona Reeder, and more. Allen will also be there to talk business and help photographers map out their marketing blueprint in 2012. If you’re in the area, you can register at the door or RSVP on Facebook. (Entrance is free for all IPPA members). Also stay tuned for a post-summit wrap up from us.

2012′s Shift/Reload

This one’s hot off the presses. We just published our 2nd Annual Annual Shift/Reload. This is a 10 page mini-magazine packed with tips and key business insights straight from photographers to help your photo business grow. The magazine includes tips on building your photography brand, secrets to a great photography website, improving your SEO strategy, social media marketing, and more. A special thanks to all the photographers who contributed, including PhotoShelter members: travel photographer Gavin Gough, celebrity and portrait photographer Robert Caplin, commercial photographer Craig Holmes, and industrial photographer Martin Vargas of 33PHOTO, who were part of our feature article on “Keeping Your Clients Happy.”