Hi Bryan, First off, welcome to Mayo! I hope you love the new journey you're on! For what it's worth, I'm still fairly new to Mayo (July '17) -- but I've been in Rochester for almost 30 years. Since you're in Byron I would suggest you try out Oxbow park nearby. There are hiking trails that take you through forest lands and past streams. There's a very small zoo there as well. In Rochester, I've enjoyed Soldier's Field (impressive military memorial), Silver Lake park (geese, stone bridge, walking/biking path), and the Plummer House (amazing gardens). A little bit farther away is Whitewater state park (about 45 minutes) -- more hiking trails along bluff lands as well as an adjacent fire tower (Elba fire tower) to give you a bird's-eye view (just be prepared for the 640 step climb before ascending the 110 foot tower). Golly, now I want to get my own camera out to play!
You could also check out the Yammer group "Photography Enthusiasts" -- a community of Mayo folks who have much greater skills than I ever will at photography. Enjoy! Jeff