How to upload photos onto my MacBook?

Every time I plug in my camera using a USB port, nothing happens. I pull up iPhoto, and it doesn't register that the camera is plugged in, and I pull up Image Capture to find that it does not register also. Please help! Btw my camera is a Nikon D3000 if that helps.

Added (1). Also I forgot to mention that there's NO memory card reader.

Try connecting to another computer - faulty cable/connector is the first thing to check.
You are also turning the camera on I presume - what does your camera display?
Z.

If the Macbook has a USB port, you can use a USB memory card reader to connect the camera's memory card directly to the computer's USB port. Use Finder to do the file transfers.