There was a lot of interest in shooting the full kustom 1953 Chevy built by Skoty Chops for member Scott Leatherman. Since Scott was a longtime subscriber of Traditional Rod & Kulture, he chose to give them first access to the car. The magazine sent out Bay Area native Trent Sherrill – now based on the East Coast – who travels extensively for the magazine. Trent has slept on more couches, cramped seats, and cheap motel beds than a hippy following the Grateful Dead, and has fully paid his dues to rightly be known as the premier car kulture photojournalist.

“Having a build of mine shot by Trent and considered for Rod & Kulture is always an honor,” said Skoty Chops. “I’ve known Trent for more than a decade and the excitement to work with him never fades.”

Trent not only carries huge camera cases of equipment to the shoot, he also lugs coffee table books of historical pictures to draw influence. Trent is laser focused on the story being told by each image. He matches the build era of the vehicle to the environment down to the finest of details. As an example, his models preferably don’t have highlights in their hair because, in this case, that wasn’t what you saw in the late 50s. He manages every detail from the lighting, the outfits, all the way down to the angle of the model’s foot.

Shooting just the car was a bit of an experience, too. As someone who has pointed a camera at countless cars, it was amazing to watch a master photographer at work. Simply, I would have never put the car at the angles of the house (driveway) the way he did because it defied driving logic. But a strange parking angle captured the structure of the house and fountain while hiding a deadheaded rose bush – all the while managing shadows from the garage and the partial sun peaking through the clouds, hitting the lines of the car. Color me inspired, Trent’s attention to the story makes me want to invest in learning more car kulture history, my sight angles, and my own camera – just to be a better storyteller. 

The girl with the million-dollar smile (or 100,000 Hamiltons smile) is Alli Peach Hamilton. To know Alli is to love her. Her smile is the fluorescent sign welcoming you to a huge heart, gracious soul, and selfless compassion for others. She is an all-natural beauty with no tattoos – making her a perfect character foil in Trent’s late 50s story of the day. 

Meeting Alli for the first time in person, it’s hard to look past her stunning beauty but her personality quickly shines brighter. She’s fun, quick to joke, and quicker to laugh. She never complained about being in a bathing suit in the cold and wet weather of early February. Her ability to go from a semi-frozen human to a smiling iconic pinup model was pure magic. 

There are only so many pages in a magazine and it’s an honor to have them select your ride for a shoot, but the excitement of having your vehicle shot by Trent is an experience you can also purchase. To Trent’s credit, he does everything he can to keep costs down, so his schedule is based on when he is town to avoid big travel costs. You can reach out to Trent through @traditionalrodandkulture or Alli via @allipeachhamilton. You’ll gain more than a portfolio of beautiful shots of your ride; you’ll gain some amazing new friends.