An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member for bearing a latent electrostatic image including a substrate, an intermediate layer containing a metal oxide and a photosensitive layer containing a charge transport layer and a charge generating layer containing an organic charge generating material, a charging device for charging the image bearing member, a writing device for writing the latent electrostatic image on the image bearing member by irradiating the image bearing member with light having a wavelength shorter than 450 nm which the metal oxide absorbs so that carriers can be generated, a developing device for developing the latent electrostatic image with a toner to form a visualized image, a transfer device for transferring the visualized image to a recording medium, a fixing device for fixing the transferred image on the recording image, and a discharging device for optically discharging residual charges on the image bearing member.