diff --git a/html/css/style.css b/html/css/style.css
index 8273dd9..33209f7 100644
--- a/html/css/style.css
+++ b/html/css/style.css
@@ -1360,14 +1360,13 @@ p { margin-bottom: 16px; max-width: 720px; }
 /* ─── Photo Caption Bar (brand mandatory) ─── */
 /* Sub-grid row 2 inside .story-photo — naturally below the img */
 .story-caption {
-  background: var(--deep);
-  color: rgba(245,239,224,0.78);
+  background: red !important;
+  color: white !important;
   font-family: var(--font-body);
-  font-size: 11px;
-  font-style: italic;
-  letter-spacing: 0.01em;
-  padding: 7px 16px;
+  font-size: 14px !important;
+  padding: 12px 16px !important;
   line-height: 1.4;
+  z-index: 99;
 }
 
 /* ─── Community Voice (Caveat) — brand spec: community voices get handwritten treatment ─── */