I prefer the color to the B&W also. The B&W is too dark. The missing head ... well is missing. I think just a touch of light on the head would have been nice. But I salute you in shooting nudes ... that is a very tough subject to show well. You are well on your way. Elsa is right, the old school way is to get it right in the camera. I recognize that photo manipulation can turn daytime into night ... but being able to previsualize, manipulate the lighting to capture the final image in the camera (or at least get close), will make you a better photographer. Doing most of manipulation in the computer will make you a better digital artist.
To be honest, whether you are a photographer, a digital artist or somewhere in-between ... labels don't matter ... in the end the only thing that counts is the final image.