Portland Evening Express and Portland Press Herald photographers focused much of their work on street portraits of everyday Mainers in newspaper sections entitled "As They Were" or "With Us Today," which often featured a small write up on the subject.

Both of the men pictured worked for Armour and Company. H.C. Sawyer was a meat cutter and Christian Christensen was a salesman. Armour and Co. was located at 260 Commercial Street.