Day 04 Constanta through the Tri-X lens

I thought it would be fun to break out the old Leica 35mm rangefinder and load up a roll of Tri-X film. Enjoy these black-and-white views of Constanța.

There’s something about shooting in monochrome that strips a place down to its essence — light, texture, and soul. Constanța, perched on the western edge of the Black Sea, is Romania’s oldest continuously inhabited city, once known as Tomis during Roman times. You can still see traces of that layered history in the weathered stone walls and arches scattered throughout the city. Ancient foundations seem to breathe just below the surface, quietly supporting the newer lives built above them.

The port terminal greeted us with bright lights and modern polish, but once outside, the story changed — cobblestone streets, fading facades, and a mix of architectural eras brushing up against each other. Here, centuries collide: Roman ruins framed by glass office windows, Ottoman doorways opening beside modern cafés. The city feels like a collage of time — the old world and the new sharing the same narrow streets.

A mosque’s minaret pierced the gray sky; Orthodox domes shimmered nearby. Street murals whispered hope against cracked plaster, and cats stood guard like sentinels of the old quarter.

One of the most photographed landmarks here is the Constanța Casino, an Art Nouveau masterpiece built in 1910 that now sits abandoned, slowly being restored. It feels like a perfect metaphor for this city — elegant, resilient, and waiting for renewal.

From Roman ruins tucked beside glass buildings to small chapels filled with candlelight, Constanța reveals a dialogue between time and endurance. The Tri-X brought out every contrast — the grit, the grace, and the timeless rhythm of life along the Black Sea.

Sometimes color distracts. Black and white lets you see.

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