Why do I get an ! in a circle when trying to open a photo?

Hello, nhadventurer.

Thank you for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.

It's my understanding that you're getting an exclamation mark on your photos when opening them. I'd like to help you. This is from optimizing your storage in iCloud. You'll need an internet connection in order to download the photo and view it: Set up and use iCloud Photos

Cheers!

Hello, nhadventurer.

We're glad to hear this has helped. Reach out to Apple Support Communities again if you need help with anything else.

Cheers!