When I connect my iphone or camera to my Air, it doesnt open up photos and I cant find the photos app on my laptop anymore

Hi kjw130384,

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!

I understand that you are unable to find your Photos application on your Mac and are not able to import your photos and videos. To look for the Photos application, I would suggest opening Finder and choosing Applications in the sidebar. Photos should be located here. If you find Photos in the Applications folder, you can drag it to your Dock to create a shortcut.

A picture of the Applications folder in Finder is displayed in the attached article below in the Icon View section. The article also has lots of other good information regarding navigating Finder.

Mac Basics: The Finder organizes all of your files - Apple Support

If you need assistance importing your photos and videos once you open Photos, the next attached link has some great information on the process.

Import photos from a camera or mobile device - Photos Help

Best regards