Juxtaposition research

Before we go any further,  juxtaposition is when two objects are positioned next to each other with the intent of comparing or contrasting them.
The great thing about juxtaposition is that a lot of the time it happens by accident. And it doesn’t happen just in photography – you see juxtaposition in your everyday life.



Children playing near Beirut, Lebanon

Steve McCurry shows a group of children playing on a tank in Lebanon, demonstrating just how effective juxtaposition can be. Innocent children playing on a tank contrasts with what many feel is “normal”.




                                                                          Edhi Orphans: Pakistan’s Abandoned Hope
Warrick Page shows us a moment of tenderness between a father and his adopted son from the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan. There are several elements of juxtaposition in the photo: the colour contrast between the hand and foot; the smooth blur of the hand against the sharp focus of the foot; and even the fact that the child is wearing an over-sized garment. 
       



London
This photo shows the contrast between old and new buildings. It's a very good example of good framing and the use of colours. "the venerable old stone Georgian architecture, in close proximity to the sleek modern glass of the Gherkin."