… liked or disliked … good or very good …
I believe
your question was -- "if someone … isn't interested in painting or looking at art then their progress with respect to photography will be hampered?"
The positiive answer is "
Maybe [you] would benefit, too, …"
I think Eric has hit the nail on the head? Visual instincts are what it is all about?
Which "visual instincts" does Edward Weston's photography exemplify? Are those examples from his initial pictorialism, his bread and butter portrait photography, …
Studying his work may mean that somebody may end up copying him, or other well known photographers, rather than thinking for themselves?
Nobody mentioned copying Cartier-Bresson's photography. Cartier-Bresson was given as
an example of a photographer who's "knowledge of art and art history may indeed have help[ed] improve their work".
