Originally Posted by Paul Markham

In photographing porn the camera is pretty low down on the scale of essential tools. Different people might change the order a bit. This is my list.

Ability to "manage, direct and motivate" models. always top of my list because they are the most unpredictable of all the tools required. No two persons are alike and we can't always push them into the mold we need. The skill of communication and charm helps.

Knowledge of lighting. this also changes. Even the color of the background will need different lighting to bring out the right effects. Different niches demand different lighting.

Knowledge of the niche. Understandable why.

Experience. Over years different occurrences throw up different situations. The ability to handle them is important.

Equipment in general. As few pieces of equipment vary much, make to make, model to model. And once learned the knowledge is there.

Never seen Photoshop or an edit. Save a scene with a bored bad model, or crap lighting. Or getting totally the wrong shots or kick a boyfriend out of a shoot because he's an asshole.