This might seem a stupid question but I don't really understand where my photos are. When I go to upload new photos from iPhone to my MacBook, the upload window fetches hundreds of old photos including ones taken from before I had the iPhone. This slows me down. I have never really understood syncing and made bad mistakes when syncing in the wrong direction.
iPhone 6s, iOS 13
The problem is, that once your enabled photos in iCloud, every change you make on one of your devices, will be reflected on all other devices. If you erase a photo on your iPhone, it will also be removed from the other devices, as soon as they connect to iCloud.
Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support
However, you can back up the photos from iCloud to the Mac, to be able to remove photos you don't need to be synced to other devices.
Archive or make copies of the information you store in iCloud - Apple Support
The problem is, that once your enabled photos in iCloud, every change you make on one of your devices, will be reflected on all other devices. If you erase a photo on your iPhone, it will also be removed from the other devices, as soon as they connect to iCloud.
Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support
However, you can back up the photos from iCloud to the Mac, to be able to remove photos you don't need to be synced to other devices.
Archive or make copies of the information you store in iCloud - Apple Support
Can I delete photos on iPhone but keep them in iCloud and MacBook Pro?
