How can I align sub-figures?

Question

Adding captions of different size to either of the two methods provided here produces figures that are misaligned.

\documentclass[english]{article}

\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{subcaption}
\usepackage{fullpage}

\usepackage{babel}
\usepackage[pangram]{blindtext}

\begin{document}

\begin{figure}[htp]
\centering
\begin{subfigure}{.5\textwidth}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=.4\linewidth]{image1}
  \caption{\Blindtext[1][1]}
  \label{fig:sub1}
\end{subfigure}%
\begin{subfigure}{.5\textwidth}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=.4\linewidth]{image1}
  \caption{\Blindtext[1][2]}
  \label{fig:sub2}
\end{subfigure}
\caption{A figure with two subfigures}
\label{fig:test}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[htp]
  \centering

  \begin{minipage}{.45\textwidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=.8\linewidth]{image1}
    \captionof{figure}{\Blindtext[1][1]}
    \label{fig:test_a1}
  \end{minipage}%
  \begin{minipage}{.45\textwidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=.8\linewidth]{image1}
    \captionof{figure}{\Blindtext[1][2]}
    \label{fig:test_a2}
  \end{minipage}
\end{figure}

\end{document}

Yet when I position figures side-by-side, it's often because they have the same dimensions and my intention is to provide some kind of contrast between them.

How can I align sub-figures that are displayed side-by-side?

egreg · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-05T20:23:20.467

You want either \begin{subfigure}[t] or \subcaptionbox; the same idea is for the two separate side-by-side figures (a subfigure environment is essentially a minipage).

\documentclass[english]{article}

\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{subcaption}
\usepackage{fullpage}

\usepackage{babel}
\usepackage[pangram]{blindtext}

\begin{document}

\begin{figure}[htp]
\centering
\subcaptionbox{\Blindtext[1][1]\label{fig:sub1}}[.45\textwidth][c]{%
  \includegraphics[width=.4\linewidth]{image1}%
}\hfill
\subcaptionbox{\Blindtext[1][2]\label{fig:sub2}}[.45\textwidth][c]{%
  \includegraphics[width=.4\linewidth]{image1}%
}
\caption{A figure with two subfigures}\label{fig:test}

\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[htp]
\centering

\begin{minipage}[t]{.45\textwidth}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=.8\linewidth]{image1}
  \caption{\Blindtext[1][1]}\label{fig:test_a1}
\end{minipage}\hfill
\begin{minipage}[t]{.45\textwidth}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=.8\linewidth]{image1}
  \caption{\Blindtext[1][2]}
  \label{fig:test_a2}
\end{minipage}

\end{figure}

\end{document}

The image you show is indeed what I'm after, but you used neither \begin{subfigure}[t] nor \subcaptionbox. — Calaf, Jan 05 '16 at 19:43
the code you show is exactly the same as the mwe from the op. i really ought to give you -1 ... — barbara beeton, Jan 05 '16 at 20:08

How can I align sub-figures?

1 Answers1