For most people, this is farther than they’d process a photo — entering into “digital art” territory, but that’s not to say I don’t like it!
I do like what you’ve done with it. I think it really calls attention to the flowing, abstract lines.
I vastly prefer the first image with its softer contrast. You get a lot more detail and depth. Second is a bit over the edge for me.
But with this level of processing, frankly, it’s hard for others to give feedback because it’s a bit abstract, and only your artistic vision for the image is what matters!
Excellent job on both of these I like your vision, and the play of lines, and shapes, and I appreciate seeing the whole plant in focus.
I like them both for different reasons, but I find the first one more soothing, while the second image imparts a bit more drama. I believe it depends what message you want to send.
Sometimes if you are working on something over and over for a long time you can lose perspective on things like contrast, true whites, over-darkening, etc etc. If it's possible to step away for a few days or a week without looking at the image at all, then when you open it up again you often see right away things that aren't working. For me the first image is closer but leaning a little flat/low con. That brings out nice detail in the gradients fading to shadow, but its missing a little brightness in the whites. The second emphasizes the highlight more strongly, but crushes out a bit too much area of the frame. Maybe the sweet spot is somewhere in-between, but those are also just my taste preferences.
I prefer the second one. Losing the outer edges of the plant to darkness helps create a focus in the center where your eye is going anyway thanks to the highlights. The outer edges didn't really offer anything.
I like the second one more because by darkening down the midtone details, it focus the attention more on the important (to me eye) lines and shapes - in particular the shape of the leaf in the highlight is what makes this special to me. There is too much black on the bottom for me, so I would crop some of that out.
I like your vision, and the play of lines, and shapes, and I appreciate seeing the whole plant in focus.