What is Juxtaposition In Photography? Guide & Examples

Updated on December 12, 2022 in Photography by Alifiya Mustafa

Juxtaposition in photography is one of the most creative, attractive, and highly skillful types of composition techniques. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea to pull it off easily.

To master juxtaposition, there are a few basic things you should know. And in this article, I’ll be telling you everything about them.

What is juxtaposition in photography?

Juxtaposition is the technique of combining contrasting elements into one thing. Juxtaposition in photography involves identifying the places or angles where there is a mix of multiple elements and then combining them into one frame to create the contrast in an image.

It is important that the contrast created is visible and looks beautiful. To use juxtaposition in photography, you need a creative eye and mindset for it to recognize when and how to use it.

An example of it can be the meeting of roads and the beach, dead trees and fully-grown trees, or the cars and a bullock cart where the elements are different and contrasting with each other but still makes up for a stunning image.

Best Juxtaposition Examples to Inspire Your Photography

White sea foam and black beach

The following image is showing the difference between the color and material of the subjects. White foam and black rocks on the beach is a great juxtaposition example found in nature.

Edge of the container and the sky

This is one of the most common examples where man-made objects are shown in contrast with nature. Here, the edge of a container is shown against the sky.

Face of dog body of a human

If one is looking to stand out with portrait photography, merging two different subjects can also be great. Above as you can see shows a great example of juxtaposition photography example.

Vintage brick building and modern building

In architecture, one of the most common juxtaposition photography example you’ll find are between modern building and old buildings.

Why do photographers use juxtaposition?

Photographers use juxtaposition in photography as it helps them to create contrast, tell a story, give a message, or emphasize similarities or differences in an image.

When people look at something that is different or contradicting, it instantly catches their attention.

They look for the meaning, sense, and goal of the image and love exploring it. It startles the viewers and makes them more indulged in the image. That’s what photographers aim for when using this technique.

How to take juxtaposition photos?

The best way to create a juxtaposition in photography is to look for two contradicting elements. It could be based on contrasting colors, sizes, shapes, types, or meanings.

Once you have your two contrasting elements, combine them into an image. The viewers look at the whole image at once, it encourages them to draw a conclusion and fulfill the goal of the image.

It would be better if you do not use too many contrasting elements in a single image as they may not come out as clearly visible or confuse the viewers.

However, highly professional photographers do it on purpose to stand out and make the image look more unique and close to a masterpiece. It depends on how creatively you can do things and with what aim you want to attract the viewers.

The juxtaposition in photography can also be created using photo editing techniques in Photoshop. You can make the color difference in half of the image, add extra elements, combine two images into one, or just combine the subject from one image into another whole image.

Graphic designers often use Photoshop to create amazing posters, magazine covers, book covers, and more using juxtaposition techniques.

Bonus Read

Juxtaposition in photography is among the most creative types of composition. It requires a very creative perception and great skills to understand the concept and apply it in a way that gives attractive and sensible results in the image.

It is not just about mixing everything into one frame. You must look for details, determine ideal elements, and have a creative aim before hitting the shutter.

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