Masked penitents brotherhood take part in the 'Ensogado' procession at Maundy Thursday
Masked penitents brotherhood take part in the 'Vera Cruz' procession at Good Friday
Tarragona, Spain. 7 April, 2023: A member of the Brotherhood of 'Cofradia Dels Pescadors' holding a candle takes part in the Good Friday procession in Tarragona.
Masked penitents brotherhood take part in the 'Vera Cruz' procession at Good Friday
Tarragona, Spain. 7 April, 2023: A little girl from the 'Cofradia Dels Pescadors' brotherhood shields with her hand a candle against the wind during the procession Good Friday procession in Tarragona.
Masked penitents brotherhood take part in the 'Vera Cruz' procession at Good Friday
Hooded penitents from the 'Congregacion del Santisimo Cristo de la Buena Muerte' brotherhood walk the nightly streets of Barcelona during their Palm Sunday procession
Young penitents from the 'Gran Poder and Macarena Esperanza' brotherhood wave palm leaves while the priest blesses them at the end of the Palm Sunday procession in Barcelona
'Costaleros' (porter) of the 'Nuestra Senora de las Angustias' brotherhood carry their float to its place in Barcelona's St Jaume church at the end of the Good Friday procession
'Costaleros' who carry the float with the religious image of the 'Nuestra Senora de las Angustias' brotherhood the narrow streets of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter have a break during the Good Friday procession
Barcelona, Spain. 13 April, 2025: Hooded penitents from the 'Congregacion del Santisimo Cristo de la Buena Muerte' brotherhood walk the streets of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter during their Palm Sunday procession
A 'costalero' (porter) is seen through the fine grid of the religious image of the 'Nuestra Senora de las Angustias' brotherhood during the Good Friday procession through Barcelona
A 'Saeteras' (saeta singer) sings a 'saeta' (very emotional religious song) during the Palm Sunday procession in Barcelona
A tattoo of praying hands is seen on the arm of a 'costalero' (porter) of the 'Nuestra Senora de las Angustias' brotherhood during a break during the Good Friday procession through Barcelona
A brother of the 'Nuestra Senora de las Angustias' brotherhood talks to the 'costaleros' (porters) carrying their religious image through Barcelona during the Good Friday procession
A hooded penitens of the 'Nuestra Senora de las Angustias' brotherhood carries a cross as he parades through Barcelona during the Good Friday procession
A 'costalero' (porter) of the 'Nuestra Senora de las Angustias' brotherhood reacts as they reach with their float Barcelona's St Jaume church at the end of the Good Friday procession
'Costaleros' (porters) of the 'Nuestra Senora de las Angustias' brotherhood react as they reach with their float Barcelona's St Jaume church at the end of the Good Friday procession
Barcelona, Spain. 13 April, 2025: Hooded penitents from the 'Congregacion del Santisimo Cristo de la Buena Muerte' brotherhood walk the streets of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter during their Palm Sunday procession
About me
Matthias Oesterle
Matthias Oesterle is a German photographer based between Barcelona and Menorca.
He began working in documentary photography in 2011 while covering the 15-M protests in Barcelona. Since then, his work has developed toward long-term documentation of social and cultural life across Spain.
Before focusing on photography, he spent nearly two decades in visual communication, including work as an On-Air designer for Germany’s largest private television news network and later as Art Director at a leading Spanish advertising agency. This background continues to inform his structured approach to composition and colour.
Working predominantly with short focal lengths, he seeks proximity and immersion, aiming to document events from within rather than from a distance.
In recent years his work has increasingly centred on traditions, rituals and popular festivals — particularly correfocs, casteller performances and regional celebrations across Spain. His interest lies in how these collective practices express identity, continuity and community life in contemporary society.
His photographs have been published internationally in media including The Guardian, National Geographic, Le Monde, EL País, The Wall Street Journal, and other
He continues to work on long-term photographic projects documenting cultural traditions and public rituals across Spain.