Provided is an image forming apparatus outputs for each pixel, together with the pixel data, pixel position data which adjusts an irradiation position for each pixel of the laser light in a range of one pixel in a scanning direction, generates a pulse width signal at a pixel position corresponding to the pixel position data and having a pulse width corresponding to the pixel data, generates the laser light based on the pulse width signal, and corrects, via the adjustment by the pixel position data, the pulse widths of the pulse width signals to different values depending on whether the pulse width signals of the adjacent two pixels contact with each other.

An image processing apparatus includes: an image determining unit configured to determine a gradation value for each predetermined range in input image data; and a screen generator configured to arrange dot images around a plurality of growth centers in a halftone dot screen to form respective dot blocks if an input area rate indicating a ratio of black to white in dot images at the gradation value is smaller than a value at which an image defect occurs, and form bridges to connect adjacent dot blocks during a smallest gradation number if distances between the adjacent dot blocks decrease to a predetermined value or less along with growth of the dot blocks, to form a void halftone dot image.