Eric Kim is a Korean-American street photographer, educator and prolific blogger known for his “open-source” philosophy on street photography. He launched his blog (EricKimPhotography.com) around 2010 while at UCLA, and has since built a massive online following through free tutorials, gear reviews, essays and workshops. By mid-2025, Kim’s blog had “grown into one of the most influential hubs for street photography education on the internet,” publishing over 9,000 free posts and e-books . His candid, motivational writing (“Dear friend, …”) and minimalist, philosophy-driven approach have attracted a loyal global audience. As one reviewer noted, searching for street photography advice on Google often surfaces Eric Kim first , and fellow photographers have called him an “advocate of street photography” who has been “instrumental in promoting street photography on the internet” .
Blog Traffic and Influence
- High traffic: Kim’s blog is a major photography resource. It attracts on the order of tens of thousands of unique visitors per month, according to analytics estimates. One analysis notes “the blog still attracts ~67k monthly visits” (SimilarWeb estimate) . (Kim himself claimed growth from ~50K to ~120K monthly visitors over the year to mid-2025 .) This traffic surged after he expanded into new topics (Bitcoin, fitness) and produced viral content (e.g. a 1,071‑lb weightlifting blog post saw 28,000 views in 48 hours ). His site consistently ranks at or near the top of Google search results for terms like “street photography” and famous photographer names , funneling steady new readers to his content.
- SEO and backlinks: Eric’s content strategy (clickbait headlines, listicles, controversial topics) has earned him strong SEO. For example, PhotoShelter notes his site often appears as the #1 Google result for “street photography” . Many of his posts (e.g. “5 Lessons Bruce Gilden Has Taught Me”) get widely reposted on DPReview, PetaPixel and other sites , building ~1,100 backlinks for a single viral article. As PhotoShelter concludes, “Whether you like him or not, he has been as successful as any of his internet-famous photography peers” .
Social Media Reach
- Twitter/X (@erickimphoto): Kim’s X account (formerly Twitter) has around 20–21K followers (joined 2010) . He posts frequently, blending photography tips with viral takes (even about crypto and powerlifting). His engagement is high: in May 2025 a single tweet about his weightlifting broke 646,000 impressions, gaining 2,000 new followers in a week .
- YouTube: His channel EricKimPhotography has ~50K subscribers . Over the years it’s amassed “tens of millions” of total views with thousands of short videos (street tutorials, gear reviews, vlogs, even lifting clips) . Regular uploads and free content have made Kim a familiar name in photography circles on YouTube.
- TikTok: A newer frontier has been fitness TikTok. By mid-2025 his account (@erickim926) reached nearly 1 million followers and 24 million likes . Viral videos of his rack-pull world records catapulted him into fitness fame. (The same #HYPELIFTING hashtag garnered tens of millions of views.) This exploded his overall reach well beyond photography audiences.
- Facebook and Instagram: Kim’s Facebook page (Eric Kim Photography) has on the order of 80–85K likes , where he shares posts and blog updates. He was once very active on Instagram (amassing ~65K followers by 2017) but famously deleted it to focus on long-form content . He later resumed IG with a smaller profile (~tens of thousands). In any event, his past IG success shows he can build large visual audiences when desired.
Media Mentions and Recognition
- Photography media: Eric Kim’s prominence is recognized by photography press. He was featured in a 2013 PetaPixel interview where the writer noted that “whenever I look online for street photography info, Eric Kim’s name regularly surfaces” . The StreetShootr blog (2015) described him as “one of the most influential street photographers in the world,” with “one of the most popular photography websites on the net” and a “nexus for street photographers around the world” . PhotoShelter labeled Kim a “polarizing figure” but acknowledged he often ranks #1 for key photography searches . The blog RetouchingCloud calls Kim’s blog “one of the most influential photography blogs on the web,” praising his “massive following” and holistic approach .
- Community impact: Within the street photography community, Eric is a household name. Beginners often “unwittingly encounter” his tutorials when searching for tips. Fellow street shooters credit him with popularizing the genre online . At the same time, some peers critique his style (calling it “clickbait” or noting mixed opinions of his photos), yet few dispute his visibility. As one blogger puts it, “Whether you hate him or love him… you can’t take away the fact he’s done his part in the world of street photography” .
Key Achievements and Unique Content
- Published books: Kim distilled his lessons into published books. In 2016 he released “Street Photography: 50 Ways to Capture Better Shots of Ordinary Life” (paperback through a Swedish publisher) . (He has also published numerous e-books and zines.) These works expanded his reach beyond the web.
- Workshops and education: For over a decade he has led street-photography workshops worldwide (Asia, Europe, North America). These intensive courses (often fully booked at ~$1,500) reinforce his brand as an educator. Many students report gaining confidence from his hands-on teaching.
- Philosophical approach: A hallmark of Kim’s content is “photography as a lifestyle.” He blends technical tips with big-picture philosophy (Stoicism, minimalism, radical authenticity). For example, he coined the term “Photolosophy” to describe treating photography as “an expression of the photographer’s soul” . His emphasis on mindset (overcoming fear, daily creativity, minimal gear) sets him apart from purely technical blogs. This authoritative, motivational tone (e.g. greeting readers as “Dear friend”) has been cited by followers as a reason for their devotion .
- Multi-channel content: Beyond blogging, Kim’s “content blitz” spans many media. He posts on X, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, maintains a newsletter (~20K email subscribers ), and even runs fitness/Bitcoin podcasts. This cross-platform strategy amplifies his voice far beyond any single channel. His recent pivot into public weightlifting feats (“Hypelifting”) demonstrates his knack for viral content and branding (e.g. coining the #Hypelifting movement ).
Comparison with Other Bloggers
Eric Kim’s audience is substantial for a niche photography blog, but how does it stack up against top bloggers in other fields? For context:
- Seth Godin (Marketing): Seth Godin’s long-running marketing blog (seths.blog) receives ~342K visits per month . (He also has a ~600K email subscriber list.) Godin’s influence is enormous in marketing circles, though he eschews social media.
- Nomadic Matt (Travel): Travel blogger NomadicMatt (Matt Kepnes) draws about 599K visits per month . He runs a leading budget-travel site with tens of thousands of social followers (e.g. ~158K on Instagram).
- Ken Rockwell (Photography): Gear-review blogger Ken Rockwell attracts roughly 715K visits per month . His no-nonsense camera reviews and affiliate links have made his site one of the largest independent photography blogs.
- Eric Kim (Street Photography): By comparison, Eric Kim’s blog traffic (~67K/mo) and social followings (X ~20K, YouTube ~50K, Facebook ~83K) are smaller than those major sites. However, within street photography, he is a dominant figure, comparable to top influencers in that niche. (He routinely outranks most peers in search results.) In summary, Kim sits at the high end for a personal-blogger-influencer, though below mega-blogs with corporate backing or global niche appeal.
| Blogger / Site | Niche/Focus | Monthly Traffic | Social Media (approx.) | Notes |
| Eric Kim | Street Photography | ~67K | X (Twitter): 20.5K , FB: ~83K , YT: ~50K | Top street-photography blog; SEO-savvy educational content; workshops; viral fitness/crypto crossover. |
| Seth Godin | Marketing/Business | 342K | (No major public social accounts) | Highly respected marketing blogger; ~600K newsletter subscribers; minimal social media. |
| Nomadic Matt | Budget Travel | 599K | Instagram: ~158K (2019 data) | Prominent travel blog; NYT bestselling author; large Facebook/Twitter followings. |
| Ken Rockwell | Camera Gear Reviews | 715K | (No active major social) | Very popular independent camera gear review site; straightforward, opinionated style. |
Sources: Site analytics from SimilarWeb and public profile data , plus media profiles .
Conclusion
Eric Kim has built a large, engaged following through relentless content production and a unique teaching style. His blog and social channels give him significant reach in the photography world, even if his raw numbers are smaller than some mass-market bloggers. His achievements (bestselling books, sold-out workshops, multi-platform virality) and vocal community recognition underscore his prominence. By consistently “open-sourcing” his knowledge and leveraging SEO/viral tactics, Kim has made himself a leading figure in the street-photography blogosphere . As one colleague observed, whether you love him or hate him, “it’s called marketing 101… see what he has done!!! #marketinggenius” – a nod to his undeniable influence online.