MANILA, Philippines - Ice melts, vegetables wilt and sometimes fat congeals. Just how do you tell your food subjects to stay at their best under difficult shooting conditions?

You don't. Instead, you hire a food stylist to make sure that delicious dishes appear even more appealing in pictures. ?The food stylist beautifies the food and the photographer captures that beauty,? says Linda Floro of her job. Quoting advertising and industrial photographer Ian Pereira of India, she adds, ?Shooting food without a food stylist is like shooting fashion without a make-up and hair stylist.? Food, she notes, ?is infinitely more attractive when presented with style. Imaginative food presentation adds an extra dimension of fun and makes delicious food look even more appetizing.?

Doing that involves a lot of creativity and personal talent, says Floro, whose mentor is real-life partner, advertising photographer Mark Floro. ?The process actually differs from one assignment to another. Some involve just blanching the vegetables, while some food are blowtorched for a burnt effect. You can also brush them with oil or with their sauces for that fresh natural look, or even use food painting. Artificial ice cubes instead of real ice can be used, while glass mugs are sprayed with clear acrylic, dried and then sprayed again with a glycerin and water mixture to achieve those beads of moisture that make the drink look chilled and refreshing.?

But more than just an artist's hand, a good food stylist must also love food and practically know everything about it, says Floro. ?A background on culinary arts is a plus factor, and so is a good knowledge of food preparation.? Aside from educational background and skills, one's attitude also helps, she adds. ?One must have the right positive attitude, patience and humility. Only then will you learn the skills and the right technique.?

Attention to detail and foresight are just as important. ?Organize all the equipment you need, and if certain ingredients are not available because they are seasonal, inform your client immediately so that substitutes can be made,? she advises.

As in make-up, there are different styles in food styling depending on the client or art director, Floro reveals. ?Some clients just want simple food styling, not too perfect or too stylized because they don't want the consumers to be intimidated. Others, however, want it a little bit upscale because they have a different target market.?

Although she and husband Mark are a team, they are not exclusive in their services, she clarifies. ?I style for other photographers and he does shoots with other food stylists,? says Floro. But yes, it helps that they work as a team. ?All the efforts and workload are consolidated as one.? PAC