my phone is driving me nuts.

i am trying to empty my camera roll, as it is full.
i dont need most of the photos, but since my upgrade to el capitan i cannot connect to my phone to download.
i just made several attempts to upload the ones i want to the cloud. it says they are going, but they dont.
i tried to delete some videos, and it says it is deleted, but it isnt.
i tried to email them to myself, and they dont go through.
i even tried sending them to my fb page, still, nothing.

i still havent figured out how to dump the whole roll when/if i can get what i want.

just did a hard restart on the phone, nothing. this whole thing is making me nuts. i need to do some video for evidence in a court case. i need my camera back.
argh.