December 6th, 2015. Barcelona, Spain: A demonstrator give kisses to someone on a balcony decorated with an independence flag as she protests for the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation and against a hypothetical independence of Catalonia on the Spanish constitution day.
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.