The topic of this paper is photography's role in capturing archaeological sites and spaces in the modern and contemporary world. In a move away from photography serving as a mere form of documentation in archaeology, this paper highlights photography's emerging role to actively capture and depict the motion and subtleties that exist within the archaeological site. Photography can indeed serve as an active medium, in which the interaction between humans and their environment can be more fully captured and represented. This new form of photography demonstrates the medium's emerging role in capturing both the ephemeral and lasting aspects commonly associated with archaeological sites, and the ways in which photography can create a phenomenological experience for the viewer. This greater level of accessibility in archaeological photography not only reconstructs the archaeological site, but also extends the experience of the site to a greater audience through the use of sensory means. At the same time, this paper will also explore the role that digital media tools such as meta-data and macro play in enhancing the experience of archaeological photography. This paper explores examples from current and past fieldwork to highlight the new role that photography can play in archaeology.
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