Last week, David Calvert was diagnosed with leukemia.

It’s a life-changing diagnosis for David, a longtime Nevada Independent freelance photographer whose photographs have brought our stories to life for the past eight years. Tributes and messages of support have poured in from across Nevada, not just from the journalism community but from all of those David has helped mentor and worked with across myriad organizations and assignments.

You can read more about his diagnosis and the latest on his GoFundMe page, but outside of immediate reactions posted on social media platforms last week, we wanted to give past and present Indy reporters and staff a platform to publicly share their stories and experiences working with David, and how’s he made all of us better journalists (and frankly, better people).

We hope it will inspire our readers and help lift David’s spirits as he faces this tough fight against cancer.

Tabitha Mueller

David Calvert was the first person I met who worked at The Nevada Independent.

I ran into him at a political rally while freelancing, and I was immediately struck by his perceptiveness, thoughtful nature and ability to capture details and color that strengthen a piece and give viewers more profound insight into a subject.

Since joining the team at The Nevada Independent, I’ve had the privilege of working with him on more assignments than I can count. He helped me navigate the world of the Legislature, better understand Nevada and, on numerous occasions, we’ve played off of each other in interviews. (The latter sometimes elicited a surprised response from an interviewee who wasn’t expecting a photojournalist to ask a question.)

Last year, David and I traveled to Elko for a series focused on youth mental health in rural communities, supported by the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism. We leaned on each other as we navigated the heartbreaking realities faced by families in those communities. 

In David’s work as a visual journalist, many don’t get to see his writing, interviewing skills or intellectual curiosity. The work we do together is a collaborative process, involving discussions of the vision for a story and how to best illustrate it. Usually, we’re both on the same page, especially when it comes to the “ah-hah” moment in the process, which involves determining who and what needs to be featured in the piece.

Some of my favorite photographs that David has taken are of Doug, a resident of Lamoille who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as a child. This developmental disability manifests differently in each person and is often characterized by challenges with communication, social interactions and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests.

David spent a day with Doug in rural Nevada, capturing Doug’s life and the small candy machine business that Doug owns. David called me on his way home and we talked about additional details that would be important to include in the story because The Indy could only pay for one of us to travel to Lamoille at that time. 

The reporting led to increased coverage for certain services for people with disabilities. 

Perhaps David’s most significant contributions to journalism, however, have been his mentorship of students at UNR’s journalism school. As an adjunct professor, he has offered guidance, support and real-world wisdom to hundreds of students.

When news of his cancer diagnosis hit, one of David’s former students posted on Instagram, saying something to the effect of, “If this man has ever fed you pizza at the journalism school, please donate and share.” It made me laugh because it’s an example of the community that David has built during his time as an adjunct instructor at the university and an adviser to the school’s National Press Photographers Association student chapter.

As David fights for his life, all I can do is hope for the best. It’s been heartwarming to see the community's response to the diagnosis and the signs that other people recognize David’s journalistic contributions, fantastic sense of humor and commitment to the community.

Jon Ralston

David likes to call me “Skip” whenever he sees me or we talk on the phone. It always makes me feel a little bit special, a quality he has with almost everyone he meets, be they students or journalists or interview subjects. People like David because he knows how to connect with them. That’s what makes him such a phenomenal photojournalist and human being.

I can’t tell you how many times Indy staffers have told me how David helped them or how happy they were to have him accompany them on assignments because of his intuitiveness, knowledge and experience. Saying he was just at an assignment to shoot photos is like saying Michael Jordan was just on the court to shoot baskets. He is so versatile, so valuable.

What many on the staff may not know is how much David cares about The Indy. It’s not just that he showed it with his dedication to his craft or his mentoring of our young reporters. If he saw something that needed to be addressed, he would call me directly or ping me on Slack. He really was invested in our success, and he has undoubtedly helped make us successful.

Many may also not know just how much David knows about Nevada and its history. He occasionally will answer my daily trivia question about Nevada history in my morning newsletter, and he has been first a few times. In everything he does, his love for this state and journalism shines through. He is a Nevada treasure, and I look forward to hearing his voice saying, “Hey, Skip” very soon.

Bella Aldrete

One of the first times I met David, he gifted me a pair of earphones.  

I had just moved to Carson City and by that point in time, we had only exchanged a handful of words. A couple of “hellos” and “how are yous.” He had walked into the press room that morning —  camera slung around his shoulder — and taking a hard look at my boxy black headphones, shook his head and from his pocket, handed me a box of new wireless earphones.

Soon, I learned that this unassuming thoughtfulness is a key part of David, one of the many qualities that make him so beloved. He is always there to offer advice or a nugget of wisdom. To be honest, I often found myself slightly intimidated by him and by his ability to pick up on small details. While out at a protest together this summer, I felt that he could pinpoint just the right person to interview based on their gait or the way they smiled. He pointed to a girl, wearing ripped jeans and nudged me forward, “You should go talk to her.” 

I now realize that this thoughtfulness permeates his work and is part of what makes it so special. I can’t wait for him to get better soon. 

Howard Stutz

I first met David at Riley and Michelle’s wedding in 2021. We got to work together briefly after the wedding when he shot photos in Reno for a story I was writing about Northern Nevada. 

But my real first hands-on experience with David came at the Legislature in 2023 when we were covering the hearings for the Athletics’ stadium bill. David stayed late at the legislative building that evening and was back the next morning. He was the Indy team member who spotted Athletics owner John Fisher being escorted around the legislative halls to meet with lawmakers, which provided The Indy with a scoop on Fisher’s appearance in Carson City.

That summer, David and I traveled to Oakland to report on the team’s potential move to Las Vegas. He vividly captured the emotion of a fan base that would soon lose its team. One photo in particular of a young A’s fan gazing out toward the field in a near-empty Oakland Coliseum captured the emotions of the moment. I welcomed his suggestions for illustrating the two articles. 

David and I were together in Sacramento on July 28 to cover the A’s in their temporary home. He told me the week before he hadn’t been feeling well, but he made the drive over from Reno. He captured some tremendous images of fans and players in a minor league ballpark. 

Of course, it was David who caught a glimpse of Fisher walking through Sutter Health Park after we were told he wouldn’t be at the game. We scored an interview with Fisher and David snapped off a few quick photos, reminding the team owner with a sly smile that he was the photographer who was following him around the Legislature. 

The next morning, I woke up to a text from David that he had left Sacramento in the middle of the night and had driven back to Reno to get medical treatment because he knew something was very wrong. We received the devastating news from him later that afternoon. As Riley pointed out, David sent us the photos he took at the game Monday.

I know David is going to beat this disease. I told David that he and I have many more stories to cover together. The outpouring of support he has received in the past week is a testament to how he is viewed by his colleagues throughout journalism and Nevada. 

Riley Snyder

When Michelle Rindels and I were planning our wedding in 2021, we had a lot of choices to make on wedding vendors — things like picking the right DJ, flowers, cake, catering and the seemingly (at least for me, a guy) endless list of decisions to make.

But there’s one thing we immediately agreed on — there was really only one person we wanted to photograph our wedding.

David Calvert. 

I remember asking him if he’d be able to shoot the wedding, and he replied with a classic Calvert construction: “I only shoot weddings for my friends,” he said, and after a long-ish pause — “And you guys are my friends.”

It was only natural for us to turn to David for the most important photo assignment of our lives. We’ve worked with him literally since Day 1 of The Indy when he photographed the 2017 State of the State address, and in the time since, he’s taken tens of thousands of photographs across more than 600 assignments for The Indy. 

David’s work didn’t stop out in the field — he’s gone above and beyond in helping many of our reporters format their stories and provide feedback and advice on how to best merge text, photos and other elements. This was unasked for and unpaid work, but it reflected David’s passion for taking these stories to the next level.

His leukemia diagnosis has been a true gut punch. It’s a testament to David’s professionalism that in the middle of this life-altering news, he still made time to edit and send over photos from an A’s baseball game that he shot the day before his diagnosis. 

I am confident that he will fight this, and he will beat this.

Michelle Rindels

Much can be said about David Calvert's tough exterior. But what belies that is how he bought a baby-sized Aces jersey for us when we had our first child. How he brings food for staffers during long work days. How he takes candid photos of babies and their moms in the halls of the Legislature because he knew how much we would treasure them.

David could view himself as just a freelancer here to take photos. But he's taken on a leadership role without being asked. When we as editors couldn't be as available as we'd like, it was reassuring to know David — with his smarts and savvy and confidence — would be on the ground and guiding reporters through sticky situations. 

He drops sage advice and thought-provoking articles about the industry into our Slack channels, and he weighs in with humor and news tips. Regardless of titles, he considers it his responsibility to make sure The Indy — and each of its team members — are reaching their full potential. 

He even does that when it's not to his benefit. There have been many occasions when he's said "you don't need to spend money on that" even when that meant he wouldn't get paid. I know I'll get honesty and candor when I ask him something.

David's diagnosis has been heavy on our hearts, but the outpouring of support has helped illuminate how deeply connected with and invested he is in the people around him. Making a deep and lasting mark on so many people in your community is a heck of a way to live. 

Eric Neugeboren

It was always a relief to see David Calvert in the halls of the Legislature this past session.

As a newcomer to legislative reporting, I sometimes found myself adrift, but that would always subside whenever Calvert was on assignment for us. His intrepid knowledge for how the Legislature works, as well as tips and tricks on how to navigate government reporting and source development, were invaluable in the few months that I spent in Carson City. 

Beyond that, I have always appreciated the sensitivity in which Calvert approaches his work and the professionalism he brings to the job. It became clear to me that he is someone who knows what he is doing, and will go out of his way to make sure that other people know what they are doing.

As a recent Nevada transplant, I feel confident that Calvert epitomizes what it means to be a Nevadan. He is fiercely community-driven — as has been shown through the outpouring of support in recent days — and always willing to lend a helping hand. I can’t wait to see the more people he will help in his future.

Hali Bernstein Saylor

As a virtual newsroom with reporters scattered across the state, it can be difficult to create a bond or feeling of camaraderie with your coworkers. That definitely is not the case when working with David Calvert.

From my very first days with The Nevada Independent, David has been a constant and reassuring presence in our newsroom. It is apparent that he cares deeply about his work and those he works with. He challenges everyone around him to be better, to think of things from a different perspective.

Though I never had the opportunity to work with David in the field, we spent quite a bit of time chatting online or on the phone about what we could do to make The Indy better. I could count on him to be brutally honest and he could count on me to take his words seriously and work to find a solution to any issue — no matter how big or small.

He was instrumental in helping me work on some redesigns of our newsletters, offering suggestions about how to boost our branding and consistency across multiple publications.

I also learned that his connection to the people and places he photographs never goes away. And it is a deep connection. He cautioned me to be careful when selecting photos from one story to illustrate another — especially for opinion pieces. He was concerned about the well-being of the focus of that photograph being affiliated with something they might not support. Those are feelings that other photographers or editors might not consider. But David does and now, so do I.

Joey Lovato

When I started college in 2014, I went in as an engineering major minoring in journalism. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, but I thought I'd try out engineering. After a few semesters, I was left unsure and unmotivated. Then I met David. I remember he tried to convince some of us in his Journalism 208 lab that we should switch to a different section because he was mean and a difficult grader. It made me smile, which I think annoyed David. That was the start of our friendship. From there, I took a podcasting class, and I attribute the reason that I'm a journalist to that class and to David.

At this time, he still scared me a little, but between classes one day, I was talking with a friend about starting a podcast, but needed a cohost and some help. A gruff voice from the corner of the lab chimed in with some advice, and before I knew it, David and I were bouncing ideas off each other left and right. I eventually asked David if he would be willing to help me produce and host a podcast called Niche. David was all in.

The podcast saw moderate success because David not only fully supported me as a friend, mentor and teacher, but he also financially helped get the show off the ground with a donation that helped cover the podcast hosting and website fees. David believed in my idea that much. He gave me the confidence I still carry with me today, not to be afraid to share my ideas, and to know that the ideas I have are worthwhile. That podcast eventually aired on KUNR, which led to an internship. David then helped me get my first job out of college, making podcasts for The Nevada Independent. 

If I say that I owe my entire journalism career to David, it would be an understatement. David helped me find purpose in my life. He supported me, in his gruff way, wholeheartedly the entire way. He gave me advice, he called me out when I was being dramatic or difficult, he would call me on the phone when I was studying abroad and felt alone and unsure. He's always been a dear friend and mentor.

His selflessness extends beyond me, though. I have never met another person who more former students still look to. David is always willing to uplift, debate, nurture and believe in people. He has changed the landscape of the Silver State by documenting it and by empowering a new generation of storytellers.

I have never known how I could ever repay David for how much of my life he has positively impacted. I've daydreamed about bringing Niche back one day with David. He believed in me and taught me to believe in myself, to view failure not as a step back. I hope that one day David and I can bring Niche back. I hope that we can tell stories together.

David's mentorship and storytelling reaches far beyond me. Whether you know him or not, David has most likely positively touched your life too, especially if you live in Nevada. I've never met a more earnest, cantankerous and genuine journalist.

Daniel Rothberg

Field reporting is the kind of work that is hard to explain to other people unless you are sharing it with someone. The hours are long and exhausting. By the end of the day, after a half-dozen interviews, you are filled with new information and conflicting perspectives. In Nevada, the person I shared many field days with was David Calvert. I was a reporter for The Nevada Independent. He was a photojournalist. We connected quickly. We were both extremely passionate about the role of storytelling and journalism, with some similar drives and backgrounds that brought us to the profession.

The first thing I noticed about David was that he had a good eye, and not only through the camera lens. David observed things I missed. “Did you notice the photo on his desk?” And he asked questions I couldn’t ask. David asks great questions, the kind that only come from deep, active and compassionate listening — the kind that comes from thinking about how others feel and what motivates them. The kind that comes from showing up, over and over.

His eyes elevated the work we did together. His photography, of course, is excellent. But he did this in less visible ways, too. He brought his expertise and journalism mind to the entire process, from brainstorming pitches to helping me synthesize my research. David would pick me up at my house in his Jeep and we’d drive for hours — to places such as Elko, Tonopah, Fallon and Winnemucca. Along the way, we’d talk about Nevada and the West, history, politics and water. We each traded book recommendations. Inevitably, we’d also talk about music, photography, family and life. 

He was generous in sharing his knowledge with me when I was new to Reno. That is David, though. He shows up. Shows up for Reno and shows up for Nevada. Shows up with his time, professionalism and respect. Shows up for his students. 

Sometimes we could both get cynical; this is a common newsroom affliction. But David always helped me break through it and see the broader picture, to see the world through a lens of what is right in front of us: beauty and pain, curiosity, awe and wonder. He offered me a window into the privilege of being a photojournalist, documenting the world in all of its many forms, helping us understand ourselves and each other in the process.

Sean Golonka

David Calvert is the rare kind of person capable of bringing levity to any situation, while simultaneously deepening your understanding of the matter at hand. Working alongside him made me a more thoughtful journalist and person.

One of David’s strongest impressions on me came shortly after I moved to Carson City in January 2023. I was working on a profile of the new Assembly speaker, Steve Yeager. It was one of the first big stories I was working on for my first legislative session, and I was nervous about the interview. Fortunately, I had David alongside me. It seemed to me in that interview that he always had the perfect question to ask — a way to slow the conversation down, a way to dig a bit deeper. His contributions allowed us to bounce off one another and improve our reporting far beyond what I could ever accomplish on my own.

Even after the interview, my conversation with David helped me better understand how he approached the assignment, providing me with valuable insight on journalistic practices. With his experience, I think David has a unique perspective on people that others just don’t grasp or see as easily, and I appreciate him greatly for that. 

While the stories my former colleagues and I share about David may provide you a window into the kind of talent and character he holds, they will not serve you as well as observing his works firsthand. More than anything, I encourage you to spend time reviewing his photographs.

After learning the news of David’s diagnosis, I spent a long while looking back through his art, his storytelling. I was reminded again of the awe and wonder I feel through his work, as well as his connection to and understanding of this state.

David is a true master of his craft. He has spent years capturing the weirdness of Nevada through photos, telling the story of this curious land and its peoples in a way that few others are capable of doing through any medium, whether it be photographs, speech or the written word.

Jackie Valley

David brings joy and conflict, love and sorrow to life in his photos. He captures the depth of emotions that convey whatever story is being told. That’s his gift as a photographer. But it’s also his gift as a friend and coworker.

Sadly, David and I did not get many chances to work together in the field. I was based in Las Vegas, but toward the end of my time at The Indy, we spoke often by phone. I’d call him with a rundown of in-progress stories or tentative plans for election coverage. Without fail, he would offer advice that would elevate the story or whatever plans we were hatching. It’s never just a photo assignment for him. He always understands how it fits into the broader context of the news landscape.

But like his ability to see emotions through the lens, he did the same over the phone line. If David sensed stress or uncertainty — two common symptoms of being a fledgling assistant editor — he slipped into mentor mode, calmly listening and helping problem solve. I’ll be forever grateful.

Now, it’s our turn to help the person who has given so much to all of us over the years. I look forward to seeing his vivid photos again soon — right after he beats cancer.

Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

I first met David as a student at the Reynolds School of Journalism at UNR. His approach to visual design and photojournalism helped inform how I would approach people as a journalist — a big takeaway from his instruction was to go beyond the surface and to think critically about the people and communities you’re working among. Just a few years later, we got to work together as I reported for The Nevada Independent.

As many of my former colleagues have mentioned, having David work alongside you on a story made that story better. Not only because of his gift for making beautiful photos, but his ability to capture the complexity of the state and connect with people. The stories we worked on together took us to a Native American-owned coffee shop in Schurz, a family ranch in the Ruby Mountains outside of Elko, and into Smith Valley, where some Nevada tribes hold an annual pine nut blessing. 

Nevada is a better place because of people such as David and because of his work. His passion in capturing the state and its story is undeniable. I’m encouraged to see so many stepping in to help support him and I’m sure it’s a testament to the way he has supported others throughout his career as a photojournalist and professor. 

I look forward to seeing more of David’s work once he gets better. 

Carly Sauvageau

There are few people I can say have been with me for every step of my journalism career. David Calvert is one of those people.

Over the last decade, Calvert has been not only my mentor, teacher, classmate and colleague, he has also been my friend.

I met Calvert my freshman year of college, learning my first lessons about photography and journalism from him. We then attended grad school together before I found myself freshly graduated, wanting to start my career in journalism but with no idea how to start. Calvert was the person who agreed to meet with me and encouraged me to apply for the internship at The Nevada Independent.

During my two years at The Indy, Calvert mentored me through it all. From meeting me for coffee to brainstorm story ideas to offering story framing that provided more equitable and creative ways to tell the news. Whenever I had the pleasure of working one-on-one with Calvert his thoughtful questions and reporting made it clear his talent as a journalist matched his skills as a photographer. Every story Calvert has been involved in was made better because of his involvement, making every story he tells about life in Nevada shine.

But not only is Calvert a talented journalist, he is a quality human being. His genuine kindness, thoughtfulness and love for his community is reflected in the outpouring of love and support to him after he received the life-altering news of his leukemia diagnosis. There are hundreds of people whose lives have been impacted positively because they know Calvert. I am lucky to be one of them.