Hi Tony,
As blighty has commented, many easy ways, that's if it's not a poxy iphone. With and android phone at least you should have access to most of the file system via usb, so as mentioned.
Options
1) Connect phone via usb cable to laptop, wait for additional drive to appear in file explorer browse to Camera folder which is sometimes DCIM and copy photos from here, note WhatsApp pics are in download or local whatsapp folder.
2) If the phone has an internal micro storage option, copy files onto microSD, pull out microSD plug into SD adapter card, plug into SD card slot on laptop copy across. - I set this up for my wife so all photos videos automatically store on microSD.
3) EX Filexplorer app if you have a NAS or USB drive on your home network you can push the photos and videos from your phone onto any home network device.
4) Mail them to yourself, lengthy laborious task
5) DropBox or similar
6) Get friend over who knows what to do, tea n cake job done.