Interrupted High Sierra, Flashing Question Folder keep appearing

Hi,

I am using Macbook air from early 2015, with OS X 10.12.

I wanted to install High Sierra 2 days ago, but it went bad. As I read in many post, mine was also stuck on 22 minutes remaining. Usually I had no problem on upgrading OS so I canceled it. Little thing I know, after I tried to restart my mac, now the flashing question folder keep appearing.

I tried many options such as:

1. Command + R = Did the disk utility check - was okay. Can't reinstall OS X - no disk was found. Can't restart startup disk - no disk was found as well

2. Option command R = same, no luck. Did the disk utility check - was okay. Can't reinstall OS X - no disk was found. Can't restart startup disk - no disk was found

3. Shift option command R = Did the disk utility check - was okay. Can't reinstall OS X - no disk was found. But I can get into reinstalling OS High Sierra again... and tried that. Just until few minutes ago it was still stuck 22 minutes after waiting for long hours. I checked the log and it seemed working, but keep repeating on the same issues. I've tried to report to Apple and gave up on installing and wanting to have OS X instead.

It has been 2 days so I am kind of desperate needed to work on laptop, and had no access to go to apple store due to my location now.

So what I did next was a bit careless. I erase data of the Machintos HD although I have no back up.

Now I can choose the disk to install the OS X but still waiting for the result (it is said 10 hours to go, since the internet was so slow).

I don't really back up data to icloud and time machine, I know I am careless. I am okay to lose the data but photos!

They are from Nepal and India's travel and more importantly I promised to give show them to my dad.

Is there any way I can restore the photos if I erase the data?

Thanks a lot.