Just my artistic opinions:
#1 horz stretch framing was certainly the way to go but does lack balance vertically). The composition itself is somewhat monotonous with virtually nothing to contrast the circular patterns (even elongated shadows off the drops might help). The drops don't all seem to be in the same focal plane (or DOF wasn't enough) and I really think that for this kind of art image they have to all be in really good focus. Highlights of larger drops are begining to lose detail (and you really want detail there!).
#2 has technical issues that I can't quite identify. There is blowout at the top and along the upper outline of the drop (and, worse of all, within the drop) so lighting and exposure might have been an issue. But it has a weird overprocessed look as though it was made to look like it was taken with a really bad lens with chromatic alignment issues (that sort of thing). This doesn't add to the image and actually distracts or attenuates the magnifying effect of the drop. There is a lack of 3-d to the drop (maybe side lighting might have helped this).