Let me make a general suggestion: Contrast, the difference between two things, is an artistic element, and it can work for you, or against you if you can't see it or change it, or play with it.

Now, in the video, I used a dark background so people could clearly see the glow effect, light against dark, as it were. And probably, to show off a labor-some rendering of neon, you'd usually want to use a dark background.

But there are degrees of everything, aren't there? Low contrast images can be beautiful because they can tease one's eye, almost, but not quite revealing a design. A classic example is the Mona Lisa. She is calm in the foreground, yet there's a very active waterfall in the background many people never take note of. Because the contrast between action and inaction is a subtle one and today we see a washed out sepia background, further making it a subtle background contrasting element.

I like the second composition better, because the texture of the cactus is there, but not overwhelming and it doesn't fight the lights you created.

Overall, you have more visual complexity in the current comp, and there more interesting stuff there is (well-composed stuff!) in your work, the more there is for the audience to linger over, right?

-g