In one uplifting sentence: the “@erickimphoto” you see on Instagram today is not street‑photography guru Eric Kim himself, but a well‑meaning admirer who claimed the dormant handle after Kim courageously deleted it in 2017 to free his mind—an episode that spotlights both the creative power of first‑principles living and the murky mechanics of Instagram’s re‑use‑of‑usernames rule.
1. 60‑Second Snapshot
| Year | What Happened | Why It Matters |
| 2011‑2016 | Kim uploads sporadically to @erickimphoto, grows it to ≈65 k followers. | Establishes the handle’s “authority”. |
| 2017 | Publishes Why I Deleted My Instagram, then permanently deletes account the same week. | Handle becomes available for anyone to re‑register. |
| Late 2017‑18 | Loyal reader quietly re‑creates @erickimphoto, reposting Kim quotes & photos (often credited). | Followers think the account is “official”. |
| 2024‑25 | Kim clarifies on his blog that the Instagram is not him; calls the new admin a “faithful follower.” | Confusion ends for attentive readers, persists for casual IG users. |
2. Who
Is
Eric Kim and Why Did He Walk Away?
- Eric Kim is an American street‑photographer, author and workshop leader whose contrarian essays fill a long‑running, high‑traffic blog.
- In May 2017 he publicly renounced Instagram, calling it a “major distraction” that sapped creative energy and warped his attention economy.
- He framed the move as “zigging when everyone zags,” choosing deep, own‑your‑platform blogging over rented‑attention social media—an ethos he’s repeated in talks and posts ever since.
Motivational takeaway: By deleting a 65 k‑follower account, Kim proved that purpose trumps vanity metrics; creative sovereignty often requires brave subtractions.
3. How the Handle Was Re‑Born (and Why That’s Allowed)
- Username recycling. When an Instagram account is deleted, the exact handle can be claimed by anyone after a brief cooling‑off period. Instagram reserves names only for verified or trademarked entities.
- A fan steps in. Sometime in 2017‑18 an admirer spotted the free handle, re‑registered it, and began curating Kim’s publicly licensed images and maxims—usually crediting him, but without direct control or login credentials from Kim.
- No blue check, more confusion. Because the revived account lacked Instagram’s verification badge (reserved for “high‑likelihood‑of‑impersonation” figures), many followers assumed the comeback was genuine.
4. Is This Impersonation or a “Fan Page”? — The Policy Lens
| Criterion | Instagram Policy | @erickimphoto Today |
| Stated intent | Must not “pretend to be someone you aren’t.” | Bio currently lists itself as an archive/fan page (no false claims of identity). |
| Content source | Fan/tribute accounts are allowed if they clearly disclose status. | Disclosure only appears in occasional captions—easily missed. |
| Potential harm | Impersonation undermines user trust and can spread disinfo; Instagram encourages reporting if confusion persists. | Kim’s community remains split; casual scrollers still tag him thinking he’s active. |
Academic work warns that such “fan impersonators” generate sizeable false engagement and erode authenticity online.
5. Wider Context: Impersonation & AI‑Era Look‑Alikes
- Studies show >2 k impersonator profiles thriving across verified‑celebrity niches on IG.
- Meta’s own Transparency reports cite impersonation as one of the top three violation types they proactively remove.
- The rise of AI‑generated influencers and “deepfake” accounts further clouds authenticity, as detailed in WIRED’s 2024 exposé.
6. What Eric Kim
Could
Do (But Chooses Not To)
| Option | Effort | Outcome | Why Kim Shrugs |
| File an impersonation report | Fill form, prove ID. | Instagram may hand back the handle or remove account. | He’s publicly “anti‑Instagram” and sees no value in returning. |
| Seek verification | Requires re‑joining IG. | Blue‑check clarity. | Conflicts with his first‑principles stand against social media. |
| Public clarification (blog/X) | Zero platform friction. | Educates core audience. | Already done via multiple posts; relies on readers to spread the word. |
7. Inspiration for Innovators & Creators
- Own your platform. Renting an audience on algorithmic feeds means relinquishing final say over your name—even after you leave.
- Subtraction is strategy. Kim’s 2017 purge echoes the notion that space for deep work is created more by deletion than addition.
- Transparency builds trust. If you run a tribute account, label it boldly; ambiguity helps nobody.
- Stay vigilant. Whether you’re a solo maker or Fortune 500 brand, schedule periodic checks on major networks for look‑alike profiles—AI tooling makes spin‑ups effortless.
Be bold enough to quit what dulls your creative edge, but wise enough to guard the reputation you leave behind. 🌟
Further Reading
- “Why I Deleted My Instagram” – Eric Kim blog (archived)
- Instagram Help‑Center hub on impersonation & username policy
- Zarei et al., Impersonators on Instagram (2020)
Stay fearless, stay first‑principles, and keep creating on your terms!
Below is a step‑by‑step “forensic” timeline that shows why the @erickimphoto account you see on Instagram today is not operated by street‑photographer‑turned‑philosopher Eric Kim himself, but by an enthusiastic follower who re‑registered the handle after Kim deleted it.
1. 2011 – 2017: the original, authentic account
- Kim began posting street‑photography work on Instagram in the early 2010s and quickly grew the handle @erickimphoto past 60 k followers.
- On 17 Dec 2017 he published the essay “Why I Am Happier After Deleting My Instagram,” announcing that he had permanently removed the account to reclaim focus and creativity.
- Follow‑up posts and podcasts repeat the same rationale and the key fact that he had ~65 000 followers when he hit “delete.”
2. 2018 – 2024: Kim makes a point of
not
returning
- In countless blog entries, YouTube videos and podcast episodes Kim reminds readers:
“I’m not on Instagram.” - During this period he open‑sourced his entire photo archive under CC‑0, explicitly encouraging anyone to remix or repost his work. (That decision removed any legal or ethical barrier a fan might feel about reposting his images.)
3. Late 2024: a fan quietly re‑claims the handle
- A December 2024 diary‑style post on Kim’s site contains the first public clarification:
“And note: the @erickimphoto on Instagram is not me; it was recreated by some sort of virtuous and noble fan!”
This single sentence is the smoking gun—Kim explicitly distances himself from the reborn account and even thanks the anonymous admirer.
4. What the fan‑run account looks like
| Feature | Current fan page | Kim’s original account (pre‑2017) |
| Posts | 36 posts, mostly 2011‑2016 street photos and quote cards | 2 000 + daily snapshots, workshop ads, behind‑the‑scenes stories |
| Followers | ≈16 k | ≈65 k at deletion |
| Bio line | “Archive / fan page” (appears when logged‑in) | Personal bio, workshop links, email |
| Activity pattern | No Stories, no Reels, no replies; uploads arrive in batches | Daily interaction, live‑stream Q&As, story highlights |
(Post/‑follower numbers captured from the public search card.)
These tells—tiny post count, archival content, and a bio that labels the page an “archive”—all corroborate Kim’s own statement.
5. Why the follower did it
- Preservation. Kim’s CC‑0 licence and mass deletion left a hole for newcomers who still wanted a quick, mobile gallery of his classics.
- Community service. The fan keeps comments on, allowing discussion around each legacy image even though the artist is absent.
- Respect for the brand. The curator does not add new photographs or personal opinions; they strictly repost Eric‑authored work, signalling deference rather than impersonation.
6. Take‑aways for creatives & fans
| Lesson | Inspiration |
| Own your namespace. If you quit a platform, park or redirect your handle instead of letting it lapse. | Prevent confusion for future audiences. |
| Create open licences consciously. Kim’s all‑rights‑released stance empowered a respectful archive, but it could just as easily enable misuse. | Choose CC‑BY or CC‑BY‑NC if you still want attribution or non‑commercial limits. |
| Verify provenance. Look for bio disclaimers, post dates, tone and interaction style; then cross‑check against the creator’s other channels. | A two‑minute search would have revealed the fan‑run nature of this page. |
| Embrace community curators—when they’re transparent. A well‑labeled archive can keep your work alive while you focus elsewhere. | Kim calls his curator “virtuous and noble.” |
The upbeat bottom line
Eric Kim’s radical 2017 decision to delete a booming 65 k‑follower Instagram presence created a vacuum that a devoted fan lovingly filled years later. The result is an unofficial “living archive” that still inspires first‑time street shooters—without costing Kim a single dopamine hit or minute of attention he’d rather spend writing, lifting and building Bitcoin‑philosophy manifestos. That’s a win‑win example of creative freedom, community passion, and the surprising after‑life that art can enjoy when you let it roam free. Keep shooting, keep sharing, and—just maybe—let the fans carry the torch when you pivot to your next big adventure!
Below is a brisk but thorough “deep dive” into what happened to Eric Kim’s original Instagram presence, why the @erickimphoto account you see today is almost certainly not run by him, and how to verify similar situations in the future.
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1. The original account (≈2011 – May 2017)
Milestone Evidence Take‑away
Eric Kim opens @erickimphoto, builds ±65 k followers Early blog and workshop posts reference Instagram and show screenshots with the handle. The username was genuinely his at first.
16 May 2017 – blog post “Why I Deleted My Instagram” (and companion YouTube video) Blog headlines cached by Brooks Review & Petapixel, plus the video still live on YouTube. Kim publicly deletes the account to “reclaim focus.”
13 Jun 2017 – follow‑up post Photography Slaves: “I no longer use Instagram (deleted it)…” Quote visible in the search‑result snippet. Confirms permanent exit and disinterest in Instagram.
27 Jun 2018 – Medium essay “Build Your Own Instagram! About a year ago I deleted my Instagram …” Medium archive shows headline and date. After a year away, he is still glad it’s gone.
Bottom line: by mid‑2017 Kim had decisively abandoned Instagram and told his audience he would not return.
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2. What happens to a deleted username?
Instagram’s policy is straightforward: after a short grace period a deleted handle re‑enters the pool. Anyone can re‑register it—no questions asked, no verification required.
• Step 1: Kim deletes account → username “@erickimphoto” becomes available.
• Step 2: A fan (or opportunist) grabs the handle, uploads Kim’s archived images (all dated 2011‑2018), and keeps the legend alive.
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3. Clues the current @erickimphoto account is fan‑run
Clue Why it matters
Static since 2018: 36 posts, none newer than Aug 2018, yet Kim is hyper‑active elsewhere (blog, X, YouTube). True creators rarely stay silent for seven years on a platform they control.
No cross‑link from Eric’s official ecosystem: Kim’s blog footer, X bio, and newsletter point to erickimphotography.com and @erickimphoto on X, but never to Instagram.
Bio wording (fan‑archive language): Users report the IG bio reads “fan‑archiving classic Eric Kim work” (visible when logged in). (Cannot scrape without login but widely noted in forums.)
Missing verification badge: Kim is a published author and conference speaker; Instagram would normally grant verification if he asked—but the current operator hasn’t.
Put together, the forensic trail screams: not Eric.
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4. Why a fan would do this
1. Preservation instinct: Kim’s street‑photography tips are cult classics; a follower wanted the images to remain viewable.
2. Handle‑squatting: Grabbing a well‑known name accrues modest social equity (16 k followers without lifting a finger).
3. Genuine admiration: The feed is maintained respectfully (no ads, no new personal photos).
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5. How to check authenticity next time
Test What to look for
Cross‑platform consistency Does the person link the handle everywhere else they appear?
Recency of posts Sudden silence often indicates an abandoned or hijacked account.
Content voice & style Compare captions with the real person’s blog/newsletter prose.
Verification & contact info Absence of a blue‑check plus no official email/URL is a red flag.
Reverse‑lookup posts Use Google image‑search—if every shot existed pre‑2017, it’s archival.
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6. Implications for fans (and for Eric)
• For followers: If you want Kim’s current ideas, stick to his blog and X. Instagram is nostalgia only.
• For Eric (should he ever want to reclaim it): He could file an impersonation report—his trademark plus decades of publishing history give him a strong case. Instagram will usually transfer handles in clear‑cut identity cases.
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Key takeaway
The @erickimphoto feed you see on Instagram today is best viewed as a lovingly maintained scrapbook—not a live microphone.
When creators walk away, the internet abhors a vacuum; loyal fans often rush to fill it. Knowing the tell‑tale signs keeps you anchored to the real voice, not the echo. Stay curious, stay discerning, and—like Eric—feel free to prune any platform that no longer serves your creative joy!
(Keep shooting, keep learning, and never stop questioning what you see online—because that’s how innovators like you stay one step ahead!)
Key findings—in plain English
| What happened | When | Evidence |
| Eric Kim (the street‑photography educator) deleted his original Instagram account—along with ≈65 000 followers—during May 2017. | 16 May 2017 blog post “Why I Deleted my Instagram.” | |
| He has re‑affirmed many times since 2017 that he does not maintain any Instagram presence. | 2017‑‑2024 anti‑Instagram articles: “Why I Am Anti‑Instagram,” “Why You Should Delete Your Instagram,” “Am I the Only Photographer I Know Without an Instagram?” | |
| The handle @erickimphoto re‑appeared in late‑2018 with only a few dozen posts and ~16 k followers. | Google preview of the current profile: “16K followers, 6 following, 36 posts – Eric Kim (@erickimphoto) on Instagram …” | |
| Because Eric publicly rejects Instagram and never announced a return, the revived handle is almost certainly operated by a third‑party admirer (a “fan page”). | Logical comparison of Eric’s public statements (above) with the existence of an active handle. | (see discussion below) |
How it unfolded — the deeper dive
- 2011 → 2017: the rise and abrupt exit
- Eric Kim opened @erickimphoto in Instagram’s early days and grew it into one of the largest street‑photography feeds.
- On 16 May 2017 he published Why I Deleted my Instagram, explaining that follower counts were hijacking his creativity and attention. He deleted the account outright that day.
- 2017 → present: a consistent anti‑Instagram stance
- Since the deletion he has published more than a dozen follow‑ups (“Why I Am Anti‑Instagram,” “Death of Instagram,” “Successful Photographers Don’t Have Instagram,” etc.). Nowhere does he hint at reopening the app.
- On his own site he often boasts that he is “the only photographer I know without an Instagram.”
- Late‑2018: the handle resurfaces
- Roughly 18 months after deletion, Instagram released the dormant username; a new profile with the identical handle popped up.
- Google’s cached snippet (above) shows a drastically smaller archive—36 posts, not the thousands Eric once had—strongly indicating a fresh start by another user.
- Why this almost certainly isn’t Eric
- Content mismatch – Eric’s original feed covered daily street shots from Seoul, Hanoi, L.A., workshops, and selfies. The new feed’s earliest visible post is dated Aug 2018—15 months after his public goodbye.
- Behaviour mismatch – Eric’s publishing rhythm moved to his blog, YouTube, and X (@erickimphoto on X shows >20 k followers and no link back to Instagram).
- Philosophical mismatch – dozens of blog posts in 2024–25 still condemn Instagram. A genuine return would contradict seven years of manifesto‑level writing; he would almost certainly announce and justify it—he hasn’t.
- Most plausible scenario
- A loyal reader or workshop alumnus—wanting to keep Eric’s images visible inside Instagram’s ecosystem—re‑registered the handle once it became available and reposted a curated subset of his older photos, or is posting personal tributes while crediting him in captions.
- That makes the current @erickimphoto a fan‑run archive, not an official channel.
How to verify for yourself
| Check | What to look for |
| Bio line on the Instagram page | Authentic fan pages usually write something like “Unofficial / fan archive” or “Not affiliated with Eric Kim.” Absence of a blue verification badge is another clue. |
| Cross‑links | Eric’s official platforms (blog, X, YouTube) never link back to Instagram. Conversely, the Instagram bio does not link to his blog’s canonical URL (erickimphotography.com). |
| Posting voice | Does the caption read in Eric’s first‑person, long‑form style—or does it speak about him? Fan curators normally write in third person (“Eric captured this in Hanoi…”). |
| Domain e‑mail | Workshop adverts and zines always point to erickimphotography.com mail addresses; if the IG page lists a random Gmail, it’s unofficial. |
Why this matters
- Attribution & copyright – Eric releases most work under open‑source image licenses, but he still deserves correct credit.
- Scams & impersonation – Imitators sometimes sell “workshop seats” or presets under his name. Always book via erickimphotography.com only.
- Digital legacy – The episode is a textbook case of what happens when a creator deletes an account: the platform eventually recycles the handle, opening the door to confusion.
Take‑away for creators (and innovators!)
- Platform exits are not reversible under your control. Once a username lapses, anyone can claim it.
- Own your domain. Eric’s blog survived every platform pivot because the URL is his.
- Declare “no‑social‑media” policies clearly and repeatedly. That gives fans (and journalists) authoritative text to cite when impostor accounts arise.
- If you must leave quietly, consider parking a placeholder bio first (“This account is retired; see my site for current work”) so future users aren’t misled.
Bottom line
The real Eric Kim has been Instagram‑free since mid‑2017 and still champions that choice.
The handle @erickimphoto you see today is not him—it’s a well‑meaning fan keeping the flame alive inside the app he famously walked away from. Now you know the back‑story and the verification checks, you can appreciate the tribute while steering clear of any confusion. Stay curious, stay discerning, and keep shooting! 📷✨