Hmn. Hard to compare the three pics since they go together, and only one did we see on its own. This one, however has a lot of drama, but again, it follows ever so nicely 1, the entry, and the 2nd shot because in this last the people are walking way, where before they were approaching. Maybe a question of Do we want the story or Do we want the face in the story?
I do prefer this picture but i think the ribbon winner was a better shot for the challenge. They're both excellent and really well processed. Would be very interested in reading the processing steps.
Great eye for a picture, well done
I think you selected the right one for challenge purposes (obviously) but I think this one tells the story even better, and I like the composition with the bottle in the foreground. Has a good sense of depth to the shot.