Originally posted by grispie i would go for things like composition and photography areas first rather than the technical aspects. I think the former is more appealing to novices.
I would agree with this. Things aren't the same as when we were learning photography back in the film days. With film, getting the proper exposure was crucial, given the limited abilities to correct things after the fact. Today, modern cameras are great at getting workable exposures and when you combine that with the capabilities of the digital darkroom and shooting in RAW, there's a lot more latitude. I think the pictures of most novices could be improved quickest by giving them tips on composition...watching your background, getting closer, rule of thirds, direction of light, leading lines, etc...