Which is the Better Portrait?

I’m horrible at self-editing.

Really.

I know it’s one of the most important aspects of the process, especially if you have to deliver to a client the best of what you’ve done, but I suck at it.

On that note, I’d like your opinion on which one is better and why. They were both taken today at Dr. Sun Yat Sen memorial park with a Kodak Easyshare digital P&S camera (my film RF is still in the shop). Conversion to black & white was done in CS2. Lighting was ambient-only. The subjects are my friend Michelle and Rita, the daughter of another friend, Kate.

Photo #1

Photo #2

Personally, I like the first photo better because you can see Michelle’s face and there are more details, such as her pendent. On the other hand, photo #2 seems to be a more tender moment?

And because I know Kate will probably see this because Facebook is having issues with uploads at the moment, here’s a photo of Rita with her mom.