iPod doesn't power on, shows sign of life when connected.

Hello all,

I have an iPod Photo (from my dad) with tons of photo's. We are not really interested in the working of the iPod, though we would love to have the pictures that are stored on it.

The iPod turns 'on' when connected to a charger (either computer or wall outlet). It shows a battery and a charging icon, though it is not charging and does not really turn on.

My question is, is it possible to retrieve the photo's stored on the device? If I replace, let's say, the battery or something else. Does it erase or somehow interfere with the photo's stored?

Thank you very much in advance!