//_______________________
// listener to the [select from existing photos] button
$('#photosModal').on('shown.bs.modal', function () {
  // get the first page of photos (paginated)
  getPhotos(function(photosObj){
    displayPhotos(photosObj);
  });
});
/**
* get the photos paginated, and display them in the modal of selecting from existing photos
*
* @param page
*/
function getPhotos(callback) {
  $.ajax({
    type: "GET",
    dataType: 'json',
    url: Routes.cms_photos, // this is a variable that holds my route url
    data:{
      'page': window.current_page + 1 // you might need to init that var on top of page (= 0)
    }
  })
    .done(function( response ) {
      var photosObj = $.parseJSON(response.photos);
      console.log(photosObj);
      window.current_page = photosObj.current_page;
      // hide the [load more] button when all pages are loaded
      if(window.current_page == photosObj.last_page){
        $('#load-more-photos').hide();
      }
      callback(photosObj);
    })
    .fail(function( response ) {
      console.log( "Error: " + response );
    });
}
/**
* @param photosObj
*/
function displayPhotos(photosObj)
{
  var options = '';
  $.each(photosObj.data, function(key, value){
    options = options + "<option data-img-src='"+value.thumbnail+"' value='"+value.id+"'></option>";
  });
  $('#photos-selector').append(options);
  $("select").imagepicker();
}
// listener to the [load more] button
$('#load-more-photos').on('click', function(e){
  e.preventDefault();
  getPhotos(function(photosObj){
    displayPhotos(photosObj);
  });
});

//_______________________
//...
$photos = $this->photo_repo->paginate(12);
return Response::json([
  'status' => 'success',
  'photos' => $photos->toJson(),
]);