I would say my favorite is your first one because it focuses in on what is most important. The “visual mass” of that image is that beautiful flow of water over a relatively flat rock there in the very front, broken by the black, triangular-type rock just in front of it. That is the most beautiful aspect of the picture. I would keep trying to focus in on that as much as you can, especially utilizing the mossy rocks on the right as part of the background.
This would mean I would try moving to your left, zooming in (or should I say moving in to retain a wide angle) and placing the rock ledge that the water is flowing over on the bottom third.
I look for rocks like you found here at every waterfall I go to. I’ve attached an image I took a few weeks ago in North Carolina. It was one of the most cluttered waterfalls I’d ever been to! But the flow over this certain rock caught my eye. It was the only one I could find with the rest of the waterfall in the background. The flow over the rock isn’t nearly as dramatic as yours, but I made it the most prominent part of the image. The rest of the waterfall draws your eye up into the forest, but I feel the foreground flow is just prominent enough that it draws your eye back to start the journey over again. Notice the rock ledge is on the bottom third.
Waterfalls are really difficult because of all the distractions. I’ve yet to find myself the “perfect” waterfall picture.
