A method for imaging a printing form, in which a laser (140) generates a sequence of pulses (172, 220) of electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the image information of an image area (200, 202, 204, 206) to be generated on the printing form (118), and the image area (200, 202, 204, 206) to be generated on the printing form (118) is patterned according to the image information by interaction with the electromagnetic radiation, has the feature that the sequence of pulses (172, 220) of electromagnetic radiation is amplified by an amplifier (160); the amplifier (160) being discharged in a controlled manner by additional pulses (176, 222) corresponding to a non-image area (132, 208, 210, 212) of the printing form (118) in such a way that interference pulses of the amplifier (160) are prevented.