Photographs always improve a submission. Most people look at the pictures before reading the first sentence of an article. If you write an article about a piece of equipment, send a photo of someone correctly demonstrating the item. Action shots make a reader sit up and take notice. Photos of a damage-control party fighting a fire are better than shots of an unrecognizable piece of hardware.
Cover photos are important, too.
We'll consider any unusual or intriguing color prints showing ships or subs for a cover. Very few people can sit down at the keyboard and dash off a great article. Even those who find it easy to communicate in speech often have a hard time putting the same thing in writing. Then, map the route to your main point and list the items you have to support this main point. Look for real experiences, quotes and other data that give credibility to your arguments or that can be used to illustrate your thoughts.