I hooked my iphone4 to my computer, it synced and i cannot find my photos. Also it deleted them from the phone. WHere are they

I hooked my iphone4 to my computer for the first time and I cannot find my photos on the phone or on my computer. I tried many sugguestions from on line. None worked. Are they gone forever? I checked all photos in iphoto, all my itunes files, Not at all happy here.