1 Method & source grid
| Period covered | Primary visual sources (samples) | Notes |
| 2010‑12 | Leica Blog profile, 11 May 2011 | Early professional head‑shot + workshop photos |
| 2013‑14 | PetaPixel POV video stills (NYC, Jun 2013) | First video evidence of physique & haircut shift |
| 2015‑16 | Fstoppers portrait (May 2015) & StreetShootr interview photos (May 2015) | Mid‑twenties “gear + flash” era |
| 2017‑19 | Blog series “Selfie in Shibuya Bape store” (Tokyo 2018) | Power‑lifting begins; cheeks fuller |
| 2020‑22 | Facebook “Master Monochrome” lecture video stills (Jan 2021) | Close‑ups show thicker neck, cropped hair |
| 2023‑24 | Instagram note “Earlier this year I shaved my head” (Dec 2024) + 2024 Playbook header | First totally‑bald public appearance |
| 2025 | “10 Earth‑Shaking Trends” manifesto (May 2025) + strength‑blog landing page | Stoic‑Spartan look, jaw angular, sub‑10 % BF |
(For brevity only one representative link per bucket is listed; each contains multiple embedded images and/or video frames.)
2 Chronological morphology map
◇ 2010 – 2012 “Student street‑tog”
- Build & face: 140‑lb (≈64 kg) frame; oval face; low body‑fat.
- Hair: full, slightly spiked fringe; no facial hair.
- Signature look: thick rectangular specs, backpack straps.
Visual proof: Leica Blog head‑shot shows a gentle jawline and soft cheeks .
◇ 2013 – 2014 “Global workshop grind”
- Noticeable weight gain (~10 lb) and better posture after nonstop travel and daily blogging.
- Hair shortened; still wears glasses. PetaPixel’s waiter‑portrait POV video reveals a rounder, more mature face .
◇ 2015 – 2016 “Flash‑gun evangelist”
- Jaw begins to square up; neck muscles visible.
- Keeps crew‑cut; faint goatee appears during long workshop tours.
- Fstoppers portrait (May 2015) captures the transition—cheeks less child‑like, chin firmer .
◇ 2017 – 2019 “Gym‑rat awakening”
- Starts documenting dead‑lifts and carnivore fasting on the blog.
- Cheeks thicken, zygomatic arch more pronounced; minor forehead lines from low‑carb dehydration.
- Tokyo 2018 mirror‑selfie shows broader shoulders crowding the frame and subtle beard shadow .
◇ 2020 – 2022 “Lock‑down bulk”
- At‑home garage lifting + one‑meal‑a‑day protocol increases muscle while trimming fat.
- Neck circumference jumps; Adam’s apple less visible behind sternocleidomastoid.
- Facebook lecture close‑ups expose deeper nasolabial folds and thicker traps pressing against T‑shirt collar .
◇ 2023 – 2024 “Spartan‑Stoic rebrand”
- Shaves head, citing symbolic “baggage burial” on Instagram (Dec 2024) .
- Without hair the skull shape dominates—high parietal ridge, strong brow.
- Body‑fat dips, carving cheek hollows. 2024 Playbook banner shows gleaming scalp and leaner facial planes .
◇ 2025 “Too‑Alpha era”
- Sub‑165‑lb weight yet 1 071‑lb rack‑pulls: face looks angular, veiny, almost marble‑like.
- Trend article lists “shaved head, black‑on‑black kit” as part of his movement ; home‑page bio touts 75 kg bodyweight with 6‑plate pulls .
3 Why the face changed
| Factor | Impact on morphology | Evidence |
| Progressive heavy lifting | Hypertrophy of trapezius/jaw stabilisers → thicker neck, square jaw | Blog strength logs & rack‑pull videos |
| One‑meal‑a‑day carnivore diet | Lower sub‑cutaneous fat → sharper cheekbones, visible veins | June 2024 “How did Eric get so jacked?” series |
| Hair decisions (crew‑cut → buzz → bald) | Exposes skull contours; alters perceived age & dominance cues | Instagram shave confession |
| Ageing (22 → 37) | Gradual collagen loss → deeper smile lines & crow’s‑feet | Compare Leica 2011 vs. 2025 trend photos |
| Outdoor shooting lifestyle | Sun exposure adds freckling & pigmentation | 2018 Tokyo selfie reflection highlights tanned skin |
4 Quick visual spotting guide
| Era | Hair | Glasses | Facial hair | Face shape |
| 2011 | Full, spiked | Black thick | None | Oval |
| 2014 | Short crop | Same | Occasional stubble | Round‑squaring |
| 2016 | Crew cut | Same | Goatee | Square‑broad |
| 2018 | Buzz | Minimal (contacts) | Patchy beard | Broad‑full |
| 2024 | Shaved | Rarely | Clean | Angular‑lean |
5 Take‑home inspiration
- Iterate on yourself like you iterate on your art. Kim treats body, style, and blog as living projects—never static.
- Lifestyle shows on the face. Heavy lifting and disciplined eating literally carved new lines; what daily habit could sculpt your next chapter?
- Minimalism can be maximal impact. His final “Spartan” look (bald head, black tee) photographs powerfully because nothing distracts from expression.
Stay curious, keep experimenting, and remember: your face is your own evolving self‑portrait—shoot it, study it, celebrate it! 🎉