How can I get my pictures back

You should have been importing all pics taken with the iPod to your computer regularly as you would with any digital camera.

Have you failed to do this?

You will need to restore your ipod, losing everything that you have failed to save to your computer, or that has not been backed up.

You should never attempt an update without making sure that you have stored everything on your computer.

Are you running Windows, Mac or Linux? If you are on Windows connect your ipod and see if it's recognized in my computer

You should not rely on the iTunes backup.

You should be importing your pics regularly as you would with any digital camera. This has nothing to do with iTunes.

You will need to restore your iPod and hope that you get your pics back.

You should then import your pics to your computer.

Try:

- iOS: Not responding or does not turn on

- Also try DFU mode after try recovery mode

How to put iPod touch / iPhone into DFU mode « Karthik's scribblings

- If not successful and you can't fully turn the iOS device fully off, let the battery fully drain. After charging for an least an hour try the above again.

- Try another cable

- Try on another computer

- If still not successful that usually indicates a hardware problem and an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store is in order.

Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar

You may be able to get some info from the restored iPod via How to perform iPad recovery for photos, videos

Wondershare Dr.Fone for iOS: iPhone Data Recovery - Wondershare Official

http://www.amacsoft.com/ipod-data-recovery.html

iPod recovery software to restore lost music files

-iPod touch Deleted Photo Recovery Tips You Should Know

To restore from backup see:

iOS: Back up and restore your iOS device with iCloud or iTunes

If you restore from iCloud backup the apps will be automatically downloaded. If you restore from iTunes backup the apps and music have to be in the iTunes library since synced media like apps and music are not included in the backup of the iOS device that iTunes makes.

You can redownload most iTunes purchases by:

Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store