St. Louis Magazine's Top Photos of 2016

Clark, an eagle from the World Bird Sanctuary, visited SLM's offices to have his photo taken for the January issue. "Personality-wise, bald eagles can be very bossy," said trainer Daniel Cone. "They’re kind of like that bully in second grade who beat you up for lunch money."

Two years ago, staff writer Jeannette Cooperman watched Jus Marianne Wagner recite a poem for a senior pageant audition. The end of the poem revealed that Wagner had been illiterate until she reached her sixties. The confident way that Wagner carried herself struck Cooperman, who later contacted Wagner for an interview. Roberts describes Wagner as a "woman with as many stories and life experiences than layers and textures in this portrait."

Sometimes, Plan B is the best plan. The concept, research, and execution of this T-rav tower for the March issue's cover took place the day before the layouts were shipped to the printer. "Stacking the fried pillows of meat was challenge No. 1. Then came layering the perfect amount of Parmesan, dipping sauce, and greenery," recalls Roberts. The trick to keeping the T-ravs in place? One very long skewer.

According to Roberts, Scary Gary holds the record for the Most Blood Spilled on Set. But who can blame a professional scary man with more than two decades of costume and makeup experience? Besides, a little Halloween cheer can sometimes be an advantage. "I once got pulled over going 70 miles per hour in a hearse on my way to Channel 2 at 4 a.m. in full makeup," recalled Gary. "The cop didn’t give me a ticket, because he said everyone would laugh at him."

These tasty tacos were included in a blog post announcing the opening of a new Mission Taco location in St. Charles. "Triangles, rectangles, circles. Red, green, blue. Tacos, chips, salsa... Good things come in threes, and it all comes together here," says Roberts.

Blues musician Big George Brock lives up to his name. "George’s hands were so big, not only did they cover his harmonica but his face, too," recalls Roberts. "He typically plays with both hands, but we compromised with a one-handed approach to show a bit more of his face." And he did play during the shoot, filling the photo studio with easy, flowing notes. Read Brock's incredible backstory from the April issue.

This twice-baked croissant from Nathaniel Reid Bakery is hard to forget. "I think I’ve eaten at least one of these per month since photographing this one," says Roberts.

Elegance graces every surface of I Fratellini. For a review of the Italian restaurant in SLM's September issue, Roberts aimed to capture the "simplicity and sophistication of both the design of the restaurant and the dish."

Step aside, man caves. The she shed is here. And designer Rachel Roe's $2,500 backyard getaway is the epitome of every lady artist's dream space. “I look at things in a totally different way now,” Roe said in an interview from At Home's January/February '17 issue. “I’m so appreciative that I have this unique, special space to work in," she said. "I feel like, artistically, the possibilities are endless.”

Capturing the crowded, dark interior at Taste is no easy task. But Roberts positioned himself against a wall located between the bathroom and serving counter. "After that, all it took was time for each element—the guests, the bartenders, the servers—to all be in a spot of action to convey the lively atmosphere," he says.

Chef Lou Rook of Annie Gunn's expertly assembled The Classic, the restaurant's irresistible farmhouse burger, for SLM's feature on the fanciest burgers in St. Louis. "After I got the lighting and angle down," says Roberts, "food stylist Linda Pilcher gave a gentle push on the top bun to break the yoke."