Two separate accounts for different laptops?

Trying to figure out how to organize my work on my computers. I have a 4 year old macbook air that is full of work items and personal photos. Every photo I take on my phone somehow ends up on my computer. i am starting a grad program at the university where I work, so would like to have all school and work items on the new laptop while keeping photos on the older one. I think the simplest way to do this is to get a new apple account and only use that one on my new laptop? I just want to be sure I am not missing anything.