Drying device and image forming apparatus

A drying device comprising:

• a light irradiation part that irradiates a recording medium on a recording-medium movement route with light to evaporate moisture contained in droplets attached to the recording medium;
• and
• an air blowing part that is positioned on a downstream side from the light irradiation part in a recording-medium movement direction, and blows air onto the recording medium on the recording-medium movement route,
• wherein the drying device changes the distance between a light irradiation position of the light irradiation part on the recording-medium movement route and an air-blowing target position of the air blowing part on the recording-medium movement route,
• the drying device being configured to:
• change a light irradiation position of the light irradiation part in the recording-medium movement direction;
• and
• change an air-blowing target position of the air blowing part in the recording-medium movement direction,
• to change a distance between the light irradiation position and the air-blowing target position.