As children, we have the chance to explore the world while we aim to discover more about ourselves and our surroundings.

We can live life in a carefree fashion, since being a kid is all about making mistakes and learning from them. Yet, being so young can be equally as scary as it is exciting.

Growing up and becoming an adult with responsibilities is often intimidating, especially when you have the whole wide world before you.

The B&W CHILD photography contest gives photographers the opportunity to display this emotional juxtaposition—which is typically felt and not seen—on a visual platform.

In 2015, the competition's judges received over 5,000 entries depicting the very best monochromic photography of children, encapsulating the essence of innocence and childhood. Amongst these photos, a diverse range of kids were captured in various emotional states.

Some are serious and seem to be pondering a complex question. Others are playing and exude energy. Most importantly, the contest's snapshots represent children from all over the world, giving us an inside look at the universality of what it's like to be a kid in the 21st century.

-My Modern Met