A photographer captured a “once in a lifetime” photo of the Great Pyramid of Giza with an airplane silhouetted against a full Moon above it.

Rositsa Dimitrova tells PetaPixel that the amazing image showcases “the power of serendipity in photography.” She calls the photo 4,500 Years of Human History — owing to the Egyptian pyramid dating back to the 26th century B.C.

“This photograph is not only visually stunning but also a testament to the power of timing and being in the right place at the right time,” Dimitrova says.

“As a passionate photographer, I have always sought to capture unique moments that evoke wonder and amazement. This particular image encapsulates the convergence of nature, human engineering, and celestial beauty in a truly awe-inspiring way.”

Dimitrova explains that the fortuitous shot, captured on April 6, happened at the end of her session just as she was about to pack up and leave.

“I was pretty much done shooting that evening, as the Moon was already higher up over the pyramid than I wanted in my shot,” she says.

“That’s when lifted my head I saw a blinking light approaching the Moon — seconds away from that perfect shot. I was stunned at the possibility and almost froze in a tiny panic!

“Still, I did manage to press the remote button at the exact right time.”

Bulgarian shooter Dimitrova is thrilled with her composition and the juxtaposition of man-made and natural wonders, “reminding us of the timeless allure and mystery surrounding these renowned landmarks.”

“It’s so symbolic,” she adds. “The plane and the pyramid, two absolute pinnacles of humanity thousands of years apart.”

The Shot Almost Didn’t Happen

Dimitrova’s shot was almost thwarted at the Egyptian border after border patrol took issue with the Sony 200-600mm lens she shot the photo with.

“This lens is apparently very hard to get into Egypt. I got very lucky and somehow managed to convince airport security that a pregnant woman is very unlikely to be a terrorist,” she explains.

“They were suspicious because apparently there is a device that is used for a sniper rifle that looks a bit similar.”

“The funny thing was that they were still interrogating me about the lens on my way OUT of Egypt, so I ended up showing them my portfolio,” she continues.

“To this day I’m still not sure if they believed me or not — I think they thought my photos of the Moon were digital art, rather than single shots, judging by the looks on their faces.”

Dimitrova’s 200-600mm was attached to a Sony A7 III and the photo was bracketed to avoid foreground noise.

More of Dimitrova’s work can be found on her website and Instagram.