So I'm just trying to imagine what I would do to the same shot; maybe I can help. Here's what I would try: Definitely use as much light as possible, especially for this colorful setup! Right now, it seems slightly dull and underlit. But in theory, the more precisely you can expose the image, the more density/information you'll have to work with. Plus, a nice side light will create a nice contrasty scene.
In my experience, a tight post-cropping usually leads to soft and/or noisy looking images. I'm sure you've heard that it's best to get the crop you want during exposure, but understandable if your equipment makes that difficult. For this, I'd say experiement a lot with Unsharp Mask in PS both before and after cropping. Just remember a little goes a long way so be subtle with it at first. There is also software called Genuine Fractiles, an advanced interpolation program, that claims to preserve image sharpness through massive enlargements. You might be able to find a free sample or something by googling, but I have yet to try it. Hope my ramblings have been of some help! 8o)
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