I like your first attempt. Their is something I liked about it, besides your attractive subject, but I can't place it.
It has to do with how I like the way she is in the immediate foreground, then trees and fountains in the middle, then building in the background but then nothing. No mountains off in the distance, no horizon, just sky.
But also it has to do with the coloring. I like it. The graininess along with the coloring reminds me of the look in the movie 300 and I liked that.