Recently Added is a Smart Playlist. You cannot manually remove tracks from it since it's based on rules which are applied to your iTunes library. If you take a look at the conditions files must meet to appear in that playlist, it's for any non-podcast content that has also been added within the last 2 weeks. Wait 2 weeks and the 1,080 tracks will disappear off that list.
Photo syncing is not part of iTunes 9 or even the current version of iPhoto. File a feature request via
here and request that it be included in iPhoto '10 or whatever the next version is. There's always the option of using Migration Assistant (from Mac to Mac), File Sharing (Mac/PC to Mac via network), or an external hard drive (Mac/PC to Mac) to move your pictures to the new system.