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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taraxacum_officinale_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-135.jpg#/media/File:Taraxacum_officinale_-_Köhler–s_Medi
by Igelau 7y ago
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taraxacum_officinale_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-135.jpg#/media/File:Taraxacum_officinale_-_Köhler–s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-135.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taraxacum_officinale...
You would be hard pressed to find a single photograph that captures this much individual information about what the various parts and stages of a dandelion look like. Even to find the leaf shape captured correctly is hard for a photograph. I think in this case there's a difference between what is photorealistic and what is useful information for identification.
- trolololooo 7y agoVery good answer. The botanical illustrator is taught how to demonstrate specific features of different taxonomies in a way that's natural and visually pleasing but conveys three dimensions of information, tactility, color, and biological characteristics (for example, do branches grow opposite one another or in a spiral up the stem, what is the texture under the leaf as well as above it, what does a bud look like, what does a live flower look like, what animals use this as a host plant and how, etc) that would be extremely difficult to photograph well.