If I turn off photos in iCloud then all my pictures in the Photos app on my Mac (which is the latest version of OSX) will disappear. OK.
Thanks.
MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.15
The photos in your pictures folder (ignoring your Photos library) will be unaffected by the use of the Photos app on your Mac or Photos on iCloud. Not everyone uses an app to deal with photos. The Mac Photos app, which generates, your photos library, has its place, but many use do-your-self photos organization in the Pictures folder (or elsewhere in their Home folder) and never use the Photos app. If I wanted to backup the photos in Pictures (ignoring those in your Photos library), then I would use Dropbox Plus.
FYI, here is a brief read on Photos library. https://support.apple.com/guide/photos/where-are-the-photos-i-imported-pht12e7a8015/mac
The photos in your pictures folder (ignoring your Photos library) will be unaffected by the use of the Photos app on your Mac or Photos on iCloud. Not everyone uses an app to deal with photos. The Mac Photos app, which generates, your photos library, has its place, but many use do-your-self photos organization in the Pictures folder (or elsewhere in their Home folder) and never use the Photos app. If I wanted to backup the photos in Pictures (ignoring those in your Photos library), then I would use Dropbox Plus.
FYI, here is a brief read on Photos library. https://support.apple.com/guide/photos/where-are-the-photos-i-imported-pht12e7a8015/mac
You can use the Photos app without storing photos in iCloud. There is information in the following link about turning off iCloud Photos: Get help with iCloud Photos - Apple Support
including the following:
If you have Optimize Storage turned on, you might not have all of your original photos and videos on your device. To download the original photos and videos ... On your Mac, open Photos, choose Photos > Preferences, then select Download Originals to this Mac. Then you can turn off iCloud Photos.
Thanks. I have a Time Machine backup. i will lok for a image app which does not backup online.
You are very welcome.
Pictures folder and iCloud Photos.
