In 1935 Sekaer began working as an assistant to Walker Evans. In 1936, he accompanied Evans on a two-month assignment for the Resettlement Administration, documenting the effects of the Great Depression in almost thirty southeastern American cities. During this trip Sekaer honed his casual, participatory style and his penchant for capturing people in their natural environment. Through Evans, Sekaer later secured positions with the Rural Electrification Administration and the United States Housing Authority, for whom he photographed images of both poverty-stricken rural America, and the slums of large cities. Although he photographed under strict government-issued guidelines, Sekaer was nonetheless able to imbue his images with energy and humor.