Between 1955 and 1965, Ramón Masats travelled across Spain with his camera. Originally commissioned by Gaceta Ilustrada to produce a report on the nation's traditional values, the assignment became an opportunity to develop a new photographic language: concise, visually powerful, and remarkably precise in both form and content. Masats' work coincided with the end of Franco's policy of economic autarky and the country's gradual opening under the Ministry of Education and Tourism. Visit Spain became the slogan of this new wave of tourism promotion. This book presents a compelling portrait of that changing Spain through the eyes of one of the country's most influential photographers.
Ramón Masats (Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, 1931 – Madrid, 2024) was one of the leading figures in the renewal of Spanish documentary photography during the 1960s. His photographic essay Los Sanfermines, begun in 1955, became a defining work in his career. In 1964 he published Viejas historias de Castilla la Vieja, featuring texts by Miguel Delibes, and exhibited alongside filmmaker Carlos Saura. From 1965 onward, he expanded his practice into film and television, directing productions such as El que enseña, Tropical Spanish, and Conozca usted España. He returned to photography full-time in 1981, embracing colour as his primary medium. Throughout his career, Masats received numerous distinctions, including Spain's prestigious National Photography Award.