Beginning of November in Rotorua. The Whakarewarewa Forest glows golden in the fading light, and we’re about to spend two evenings chasing that magic hour transition into darkness.
We’re here for a lifestyle shooting production, capturing authentic moments of our new CX Core and G2.1 Series Light Systems in action on the trails that inspired them. This isn’t studio work or staged setups. It’s real riders, real trails, and the kind of night riding that makes you remember why you love this sport. This is where mountain biking feels most alive, where the familiar becomes extraordinary under the beam of a good light.
Coming Home to Rotorua
For Gloworm, shooting in Rotorua isn’t just about capturing beautiful footage. It’s about coming back to where we belong. This place runs through everything we do. The Rotorua trail map lives on our packaging, our brand identity is built around these forests, and the riding culture here shaped how we think about light systems.
We’re a New Zealand brand through and through, and that means something. The lush native forest, the world-class trails carved through ancient trees, the riding community that gathers here from around the globe, this isn’t just a backdrop for us. It’s the foundation. When riders anywhere in the world mount a Gloworm light, they’re carrying a piece of this place with them, whether they know it or not.
Being back in the Redwoods for this shoot felt right. These trails, this forest, this riding. It’s in our DNA.
The Team
Art direction came from Black Tomato Studio, based in Berlin. You may have heard from Dora, one of the Black Tomato Studio founders, lately, making sure Gloworm news reaches riders around the world. Sometimes the best perspective comes from 18,000 kilometres away, trusting your crew on the ground to interpret the vision and make it real.
Rachel Hadfield brought her lens and an eye for those in-between moments that make shoots memorable. Paige Fensom captured the movement, the speed, the flow of night riding through the forest. Behind camera talent like this, you can relax knowing the good stuff is being captured.
On the bikes, Hannah Hamilton and Dave Armitage proved why they were the right riders for the job. Technical, consistent, and willing to session on the same feature until we get it just right. Nico Maybury from the Gloworm team (you know him from his excellent customer support) handled production duties while also rounding out the riding crew, bringing local knowledge and occasionally finding the soft landings (more on that later).
A special mention to Monty and Jesse, Rachel and Paige’s partners, who pitched in with extra hands, held lights, and generally made the whole operation run smoothly. Productions like this succeed because of people willing to help.
When Things Don’t Go to Plan (The Good Kind)
Dave set the standard high right from the get-go, happily obliging when asked to do a tricky rock roll more or less as soon as we left the car park. No warm-up needed, apparently. Another highlight was a big tree gap that he nailed a couple of times, making it look easier than it had any right to be.
Hannah was in fine form too, both nights, sticking to Dave’s wheel through tight, technical turns and over drops and step downs. Watching her ride, you’d never know how demanding some of those features were.
On the other hand, Nico didn’t get his line right doing the drop at the top of ‘Maiden Voyage’ and had the only crash over the two nights. Thankfully, a nice soft landing so no harm done! Another few takes required, and all successfully landed. That’s night riding for you.
We discovered that Dave, like Derek Zoolander, does prefer to turn left, though, so it took a few takes to get the money shot of him blasting the (right-hand) berm on lower Tītokorangi. Worth the wait, though.
The Final Splash
End of a long second night, we finished off on a high at the famous Rosebank Creek gap. “One and done” quickly changed into “One more time.” Big splashes, wet feet, but smiles all round. Time for some pizza and a beer!
These are the moments that make it worth it. Yes, it was a shoot with deliverables and shot lists and schedules. But it had everything we love about night riding: a different perspective on otherwise familiar trails, new friends, and plenty of laughs.
Heaps of fun were had by all across two beautiful evenings in the spectacular Redwoods.
A massive thank you to everyone who made this happen. From the crew behind the cameras to the riders who sessioned features until we got it just right, from the partners who held lights and kept things running smoothly to the Rotorua trails that never disappoint. This is what it’s all about.
Until the next one!
Credits:
Art Direction: Black Tomato Studio, Instagram
Photography: Rachel Hadfield, Instagram
Videography: Paige Fensom, Instagram
Production: Nico Maybury, Gloworm Lights
Riders: Hannah Hamilton, David Armitage, Nico Maybury
Additional Support: Monty, Jesse
Location: Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua, New Zealand
November 2025