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Jomon T. John, an award-winning cinematographer recognized for his contributions across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, shares insights from his creative journey and his admiration for Cooke lenses.
« I began my career at the Bengaluru Film Institute, » Jomon recalls, « working as an assistant DOP before moving to Malayalam films just as they transitioned from motion picture stock to digital. My film Picket 43 might be the last Malayalam film shot on traditional film stock. »
Reflecting on his early success with Thattathin Marayathu, Jomon describes how he designed the visuals for this romantic story. « To create the ‘love at first sight’ feel, I used soft, light colors to evoke warmth and tenderness. »
In 2015, Jomon was awarded the Kerala State Award for Best Cinematography, with his films Charlie, Ennu Ninte Moideen, and Nee-Na in close contention. He describes his approach to Ennu Ninte Moideen, a love story based on true events: « I treated the visuals like vintage portraits, capturing the monsoon season’s different moods—heavy rain, drizzles, and light droplets—to bring out realism without rustic tones. It was about creating a look that felt both beautiful and true to life. »
Jomon speaks passionately about his preference for Cooke lenses, particularly the Cooke Anamorphic FF/i (Full Frame) lenses. « The Cooke Anamorphic FF/i lenses are easily the best among all anamorphic brands I’ve tested, » he says. « The texture, warmth, and minimal focus breathing make them outstanding, especially for close-ups with minimal distortion and a natural glow on skin tones. They just offer a cinematic quality that I haven’t seen matched by other brands. »
For his recent Malayalam film, Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM), Jomon used both the Cooke Anamorphic FF/i and Cooke S7/i spherical lenses to craft two distinct looks for the film’s historical and modern-day portions. « For the period sequences, I relied on the Cooke Anamorphics. They create a larger-than-life, cinematic quality without distortion, which was essential for the grand, historical scenes. »
Switching to the spherical Cooke S7/i lenses for the present-day sequences, Jomon explains, « With the S7/i, I aimed for a more grounded look. I kept the backgrounds soft and blurry, especially in close-ups, using a 75mm lens to create depth. The warm lights set against cooler backgrounds added texture and contrast. »
A fan of Cooke’s 32mm and 50mm focal lengths, Jomon often returns to these lenses for their versatility and warmth. « In my recent Telugu project, I used the 32mm and 50mm Cooke Anamorphics for around 75% of the film. The 32mm in particular is exceptional for close-ups, adding a warm, natural glow to skin tones. »
ARM was released in 3D,gained a huge success at the box office.
Through his masterful use of Cooke lenses, Jomon T. John continues to create visually stunning, immersive experiences, seamlessly blending historical authenticity with modern storytelling.
