It can be a strange experience to take a photo you know is sharp, only for it to look soft despite getting everything right. If you know your technique is solid, but your photos still do not look sharp enough, check out this great video tutorial that discusses some of the reasons technically sharp photos can look soft and what you can do to improve them.
Coming to you from Jan Wegener, this excellent video tutorial discusses the concept of perceived sharpness and the factors you can manipulate to improve it. You might be surprised to know how many different factors can affect the appearance of sharpness in an image. It starts with the process behind the camera; not only does it require the things you expect (a fast enough shutter speed, proper focus, etc.), other things, such as ensuring a clean background, can make a significant difference. When it comes to editing, you also need to pay attention to things like contrast, color casts, dodging and burning, distractions, and much more. Once all these factors come together, you will notice a significant improvement in the crispness of your images; they'll seem to pop off the screen! Check out the video above for the full rundown from Wegener.
It took me a long time to understand that "sharpness" is subjective. It's a feeling we either get from a photo, or we don't.
Excellent suggestions, thanks!!!