I have to say that photography has now taken 95% of my insect illustration work away from me. Luckily I am a photographer myself and enjoy it but all I get to with my illustration skills do is clean up dust & backgrounds, maybe replace a few broken seatae and alter contrast to emphasise structures. I have not been given a "draw-from-scratch" task since 2006.
I like the blog but the fact is that photography can now produce great images of much smaller things than it used to. 
The incredible advances in digital stacking technology and in digital cameras themselves mean I can produce in a maximum of an hour or so a better image than I could draw in a week.
http://qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Behind+the+Scenes/Scientific+illustrations/What+do+Insect+Illustrators+do/Microphotography/Zoomified+images 
I believe I produce far better images because of that extra 5% illustration input but when I am replaced I doubt if illustration skills would be considered essential to the job.
Cheers,
Geoff
________________________________________
From: SciArt-L Discussion List-for Natural Science Illustration- [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Catherine Wilson
Sent: Thursday, 13 October 2011 3:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [SCIART] Student Question: Impact of photography on illustration industry

Hmmm... my first thought on this post is photography can never breath life into an herbarium specimen of a rare or extinct plant species.

I wish I had more detailed information on the industry, but I know there will always be work for illustrators we just have to find it.

All best,
Cat
On Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 12:20 PM, Britt Griswold <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
CC back to this list as well Please!

Britt

On 10/12/11 6:53 AM, Tania Marien wrote:
Dear All,

A Master's student, Faye Bainbridge, has this inquiry:

I'm studying illustration and design, Im hoping to find illustrators who might help with my MA
degree- I am wanting to speak to illustrators about the impact photography has had on the
illustration industry mainly the botanical area, but also interested what others think, I aim to
create a book of endangered plants in my area.

In my local area, Teesdale, England, I recently found out there are over 75 rare and endangered
plants here.
I'd love to play a part in raising awareness to this fact.

She has given me permission to forward her email address. If you would like to offer some insight,
please contact Faye at [log in to unmask]

Thank you,
Tania

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