At this dazzling time of year, it seems that half of Japan's population turn into photographers journeying to their favorite spots or seeking out new ones around the city as they try to capture the myriad colors of autumn leaves.

Doing that, though, is not as easy as it looks, and millions go away frustrated with photos of overexposed, burned-out skies, blurry shapes and muted colors.

Whether you meander through Tokyo parks or follow the crowds to the capital's outlying mountain areas of Takao, Okutama or Saitama, photographing koyo (autumn colors), like anything else, takes both technique and imagination — not to mention cooperative weather and good equipment, such as a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera.