I agree with you...
My ship has been cut off from the flickr-crop...Next time i'll need to remember that problem.
Anyway, very strange/thik/full of offshots design become disadvantageous this way...really don't like this problem!
This is only my second contest, but i learned the ENORMOUS important of the good MAIN-PICTURE too. I add another note to your ones:
- have a large and expensive photo-camera doesn't mean you'll have some incredible pictures!
You'll really need to know your ship, to watch it carefully, to take the most representative photo. Maybe some external opinion (friends,parents,girlfriend...) will help you to see some details that you don't understand as the builder of the subject of your photo.