I especially like #3, but I also recognize that #1 is about as Ansel Adamsy as you can get. Look at the range of tones in there. Everything from 0 through 10 is fully represented. It's quite a technical tour de force on Timo's part.
Shows good technique doesn't necessarily yield an excellent picture

, another AA mantra.
I think the problem is that a lot of tones of different subjects/surfaces fall too close together while our brain knows they're different, and therefore wants to see more separation. Hence my comment to try colour, since that would provide an additional means to achieve that.