move photos to mac but not from mac to icloud

You can use an AirDrop service. Here you will find more information. Use AirDrop to send content from your Mac - Apple Support

I have a huge number of photos and don't want to upload them to the cloud from my mac but want to download/sync from my phone automatically. it used to do this and now it's not.

What changed recently? Did you upgrade to el Capitan and are now using the Photo for Mac application on your Mac? Then it is no longer possible to use My Photo Stream only one way - import from your iPhone but not upload new photos to your iPhone, If you enable My Photo stream for a Photos Library it will not only download, it will also upload any new photos you import to your library.

You could use two different Photos Libraries -

• one library with My Photo Stream enabled. Use this library to download the new photos from your iPhone,
• and use a second Photos Library to import all other photos from your cameras.

Occasionally transfer the iPhone photos from the Photo stream library to your Main Photos Library.