Can anyone tell me in the photo submission category, what is more important the quality of the photographs or the story?

Shall I pay more attention to the quality of the photographs than trying to portray a simple narrative?

Is it okkay to take a documentary approach, without paying much attention to the narrative/storyline?

it's very hard to answer this since it's not really a definite do this or do that.
The best way to answer your questions is that you have to balance both. It's not one or the other.
A mark of a good filmmaker is their ability to balance all aspects of their piece not just one side.