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iCloud isn't really the hurdle here - the real catch is that direct cable transfers on newer iPhones are way more locked down than they used to be, so you might hit a wall with Finder even if you try. Have you considered just using a file transfer app like Google Photos or Snapdrop instead, which sidestep the whole iTunes sync headache?
Plug both phones into a computer and use a USB cable with iTunes (or Finder on Mac) to transfer your photo library directly - just select the photos you want and sync them over. If you don't have a computer handy, you can use a third-party app like Google Photos or Dropbox to upload from the old phone and download on the new one, though that technically uses cloud storage even if it's not iCloud. The USB method is faster and keeps everything local if that's what you're after.
The easiest workaround I've found is using a third-party tool like Google Photos or Amazon Photos - upload from the old phone, download on the new one, and you skip the whole iTunes/Finder mess entirely. If you want to avoid cloud services altogether, try connecting the old iPhone to your computer and exporting the photos as files to a folder, then dragging them into the new iPhone's Photos app via Finder (it's clunky but it works). The cable transfer route that others mentioned does have those lockdown issues on newer models, so honestly the photo app approach tends to be less of a headache.
Don't rely on Finder or iTunes for this - those methods are genuinely restricted on newer iPhones like you'd hit with any cable approach. Your best bet is Google Photos or Amazon Photos: install the app on your old iPhone, let it back up your library in the background (takes a while depending on how many photos), then download them on the new phone. It's free up to a point and sidesteps Apple's transfer limitations entirely.
How many photos are we talking about here - dozens or thousands?
I ran into this exact problem last year when upgrading. The cable methods really don't work well anymore on current iPhones, so I ended up going with Google Photos. Uploaded my entire library from the old phone (took a while but it runs in the background), then on the new one I just logged into the same Google account and downloaded everything. The whole process took maybe an hour total including the upload time, and I didn't have to mess with a computer at all.
One thing to keep in mind though - if you're doing this with Google Photos or a similar service, you'll want to make sure you have enough cloud storage or that you're okay with compression. Google's free tier gives you limited space, so depending on how many photos you have, you might hit that ceiling. Amazon Photos is worth checking out too if you have Prime - their photo storage is actually unlimited for full resolution. Either way, the install-upload-download workflow beats fighting with Finder, which as others mentioned, can be pretty restrictive on newer models.
I've had better luck with AirDrop than most people realize - just hold the phones next to each other and it actually works for batches of photos without needing cables or accounts at all. Takes a bit longer if you've got thousands, but it's genuinely hassle-free for moderate transfers and doesn't require any third-party apps. Worth trying first before you go the upload route.
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