Group: Critique

There is something that surprised me a little bit in this group discussion and in the various posts about critique.
I read more and more times questions about what the photographer wanted to represent with the shot, what was in her mind.
It surprises me a little bit, because I think photography can be also a form of Art and its goal can be that of provoquing emotions, feelings and so on or it can be a mere representation of what's in front of the camera, as in a reportage: in both cases it isn't important what was in the photographer mind, but what is in the viewer mind when she looks at the shot.
Have I misunderstood something?
Is photography about what was in photographer mind and heart or it is (also) what is in the viewer mind and heart when she looks at the shot?