He worked in television and as a photographer for guide books before establishing his own photography and publishing company, R. Ian Lloyd Productions, in Singapore in 1983. Ian has undertaken commissions for magazines such as National Geographic, Fortune and Time, and has won numerous awards for his work. He has published 34 books on countries and regions around Asia including large format books on Kathmandu, Bali and Singapore; and a four volume series on Australian Wine Regions. His photographs have been widely exhibited around the world. In 2000 a retrospective book and exhibition of his work, Spirit of Asia, toured six Asian cities under the sponsorship of the National Geographic Channel.