An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a charging member to charge the surface of the image bearer; an irradiating member to irradiate the surface of the image bearer to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image bearer; an developing member to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a visible toner image on the surface of the image bearer; and a transferring member to transfer the toner image onto a transfer material. The image bearer includes a charge generation layer including an asymmetrical disazo pigment and a metal-free phthalocyanine pigment, and a charge transport layer. The irradiating member forms the electrostatic latent image at an irradiation energy greater than a half decay exposure of the image bearer and not greater than 2.5 times of the half decay exposure. The image bearer is not discharged every image forming process.