Benjamin first states that mechanical reproduction "advanced intermittently and at leaps of long intervals, but with accelerated intensities" (218). By this he is referring to the work of photography and the concept of reproducing a unique image seen by the eye. He later expresses that there is an "aura" that is negatively impacted when mechanical reproduction is present. This "aura" is the originality of the work. It is no longer original once it is reproduced, but the aura represents nativeness and the genuineness of the picture.

An image that comes to mind for me is the Grand Canyon. I went about ten years ago and I was just beside myself when I was looking out into the valleys and how big it was. It really took your breath away knowing you were standing right in front of it and in a way it had an aura about it. There was this feel when I was there that expressed serenity and calmness and it was was one of those places where you had to be there to believe it. Now I do have pictures from that trip, but I look at them and just see different parts of the canyon and I really don't have a feeling toward them. It's almost like, "oh there's another picture of the canyon." There's no amazement or excitement I feel from looking at the pictures because being at the Grand Canyon, you can look for miles in the distance and see a lot and you can turn your head left and right it have a new view, but with a photograph, there is only a 4x6 space to look at and no turning to find a new view. I think this is what Benjamin is trying to described when he says that mechanical reproduction destroys the auras of images.