An electrophotographic image forming method is disclosed. A latent image on a photoreceptor is developed to form a toner image on the photoreceptor by a developer and the toner image is transferred to a recording material or an intermediate transfer element, and the developing and the transferring are performed while regulating a contact angle of the photoreceptor with water within 5 of an average contact angle by applying a surface energy-lowering agent on the surface of the photoreceptor.