diff --git a/app/utils/photo_stamp.py b/app/utils/photo_stamp.py
index 7abc8e9..54185a6 100644
--- a/app/utils/photo_stamp.py
+++ b/app/utils/photo_stamp.py
@@ -216,40 +216,44 @@ def _draw_overlay(img, lines):
     width, height = img.size
     # Scale everything off the short edge so portrait and landscape match.
     base = min(width, height)
-    font_size = max(14, int(base * 0.035))
-    pad = max(8, int(base * 0.018))
+    font_size = max(11, int(base * 0.020))
+    pad = max(6, int(base * 0.012))
     font = _load_font(font_size)
 
-    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
+    measure = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
 
     # Measure the block.
     heights, widths = [], []
     for line in lines:
-        box = draw.textbbox((0, 0), line, font=font)
+        box = measure.textbbox((0, 0), line, font=font)
         widths.append(box[2] - box[0])
         heights.append(box[3] - box[1])
     line_gap = max(2, int(font_size * 0.25))
     text_h = sum(heights) + line_gap * (len(lines) - 1)
     bar_h = text_h + pad * 2
 
-    # Translucent black bar, composited so it works on RGB too.
-    bar = Image.new('RGBA', (width, bar_h), (0, 0, 0, 150))
+    # Draw the whole overlay on a transparent layer so both the bar AND the
+    # text carry alpha, then composite once. Keeps the photo readable through
+    # the stamp instead of masking it behind a solid strip.
+    layer = Image.new('RGBA', (width, bar_h), (0, 0, 0, 0))
+    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(layer)
+    draw.rectangle((0, 0, width, bar_h), fill=(0, 0, 0, 80))
+
+    y = pad
+    for line, h in zip(lines, heights):
+        # Faint dark outline still keeps the text legible over a bright photo.
+        for dx, dy in ((-1, 0), (1, 0), (0, -1), (0, 1)):
+            draw.text((pad + dx, y + dy), line, font=font, fill=(0, 0, 0, 90))
+        draw.text((pad, y), line, font=font, fill=(255, 255, 255, 165))
+        y += h + line_gap
+
     if img.mode == 'RGBA':
-        img.alpha_composite(bar, (0, height - bar_h))
+        img.alpha_composite(layer, (0, height - bar_h))
     else:
         img.paste(Image.alpha_composite(
-            img.crop((0, height - bar_h, width, height)).convert('RGBA'), bar
+            img.crop((0, height - bar_h, width, height)).convert('RGBA'), layer
         ).convert('RGB'), (0, height - bar_h))
 
-    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
-    y = height - bar_h + pad
-    for line, h in zip(lines, heights):
-        # Thin dark outline keeps the text legible over a bright photo.
-        for dx, dy in ((-1, 0), (1, 0), (0, -1), (0, 1)):
-            draw.text((pad + dx, y + dy), line, font=font, fill=(0, 0, 0))
-        draw.text((pad, y), line, font=font, fill=(255, 255, 255))
-        y += h + line_gap
-
     return img