The user jwinery clearly exists: https://www.instagram.com/jwinery/
Querying the search API (/v1/users/search?q=jwinery&access_token=) gives you this user id: 321285908
Querying the users API (/v1/users/321285908/?access_token=) gives you this response:
{"meta": {"error_type": "APINotFoundError", "code": 400, "error_message": "this user does not exist"}}
My user is not in sandbox mode and has been approved, the access token is valid, and this has worked with thousands of users already. I know Instagram doesn't have the best error reporting so could this be another issue with jwinery or is Instagram just borking this? jwinery is obviously not private, but I don't use Instagram so I don't know all the other things that could be going on.
very interesting
https://www.instagram.com/jwinery/ said does not exist.
Search API is showing the id as valid, but user API for id does not return user info. this user does not exist
I checked the user @jwinery on instagram app, it opened, but asked me to confirm I'm over 21, and then it showed images on Instagram app.
Then I checked on https://www.instagram.com/jwinery/, it worked.
I used User API, it responded with data.
So I guess, API does not give you correct response until you have opened that user in App and then confirm over 21.
Also the access_token you use for API call should of the same user that was used to confirm over 21 on instagram app, then it will start working on API
So I guess this is a new category of profile type, that is not supported correctly in API yet.