Advice needed on buying an external hard drive

Hello everyone,
I have a very old pc packed with photos that I'd like to store in an external hard drive but still with the option of uploading them onto my shiny Mac.  I'm not sure if that's a straightforward deal or I need to buy/know something specific?  Basically, I'm unsure if the files on my pc will be read by the Mac.  I know you can connect the Mac to the pc directly but I checked and the pc is way too old for that easy option.
Apologise for my total untechyness but if you could keep any replies basic I'd be hugely greatful!
Many thanks for your time and patience,
Michelle

Hello flymissy,
You don't say which shiny new Mac you have or the Operating System.   Suggest you pop it into your profile when you have a minute.  
I'm pretty sure someone will come along in a minute but if not the ideal place to put this post is in iLife (iPhoto) columns.   The reason I say that is because people with specific knowledge hang out there and I get the feeling that your old computer is not a Mac ... and I am unsure if the transfer won't therefore want special care.
The external HD will be needed for you to utilise Time Machine with your new Mac and it can be partitioned to have a separate section for your photo library.  The actual model is a subjective question.   I use WD equipment and have one with twice the capacity of my machine Hard Drive.

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