J.R Eyerman is one of America’s most celebrated photographers. But before all that, he was in Malta during World War II photographing the aftermaths of the bombing in and around Valletta.

In the photo above, six Maltese boys are smiling for the camera in front of a collapsed building. Even through all that hardship and tragedy these boys still found a reason to smile and be happy.

Eyerman had a long and prosperous career as a photojournalist as well as a Hollywood photographer.

He is most famously known for photographing the likes of Hollywood legends such as Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Gene Kelley, Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and many more.

From 1942 till 1961 he was also a staff photographer for the prestigious ‘Life’ magazine. He eventually left and moved on to work for ‘Time’ and ‘National Geographic’.

Facebook/Frank Grech via Jesmond Bonnici