diff --git a/docs/assets/css/bootstrap.css b/docs/assets/css/bootstrap.css
index f39fe477..0a20e337 100644
--- a/docs/assets/css/bootstrap.css
+++ b/docs/assets/css/bootstrap.css
@@ -5596,28 +5596,38 @@ a.badge:hover {
 
 .carousel-control {
   position: absolute;
-  top: 40%;
-  left: 15px;
-  width: 40px;
-  height: 40px;
-  margin-top: -20px;
-  font-size: 60px;
-  font-weight: 100;
-  line-height: 30px;
-  color: #ffffff;
-  text-align: center;
-  background: #222222;
-  border: 3px solid #ffffff;
-  -webkit-border-radius: 23px;
-     -moz-border-radius: 23px;
-          border-radius: 23px;
+  top: 0;
+  bottom: 0;
+  left: 0;
+  width: 100px;
   opacity: 0.5;
   filter: alpha(opacity=50);
 }
 
+.carousel-control.left {
+  background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001);
+  background-color: transparent;
+  background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001));
+  background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0 0, 100% 0, from(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75)), to(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001)));
+  background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001));
+  background-image: -o-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001));
+  background-image: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001));
+  background-repeat: repeat-x;
+  filter: progid:dximagetransform.microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#bf000000', endColorstr='#00000000', GradientType=1);
+}
+
 .carousel-control.right {
-  right: 15px;
+  right: 0;
   left: auto;
+  background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75);
+  background-color: transparent;
+  background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0 0, 100% 0, from(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001)), to(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75)));
+  background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75));
+  background-image: -o-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75));
+  background-image: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75));
+  background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.001), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75));
+  background-repeat: repeat-x;
+  filter: progid:dximagetransform.microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#00000000', endColorstr='#bf000000', GradientType=1);
 }
 
 .carousel-control:hover {
@@ -5627,23 +5637,37 @@ a.badge:hover {
   filter: alpha(opacity=90);
 }
 
+.carousel-control .control {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 50%;
+  z-index: 5;
+  display: block;
+  margin-top: -35px;
+  margin-left: 35px;
+  font-size: 80px;
+  font-weight: 100;
+  color: #fff;
+  text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
+}
+
 .carousel-caption {
   position: absolute;
   right: 0;
   bottom: 0;
   left: 0;
-  padding: 15px;
-  background: #333333;
-  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75);
+  z-index: 10;
+  max-width: 60%;
+  padding: 40px;
+  text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
 }
 
-.carousel-caption h4,
+.carousel-caption h3,
 .carousel-caption p {
   line-height: 20px;
   color: #ffffff;
 }
 
-.carousel-caption h4 {
+.carousel-caption h3 {
   margin: 0 0 5px;
 }
 
diff --git a/docs/javascript.html b/docs/javascript.html
index 0dcd2053..0a757c2d 100644
--- a/docs/javascript.html
+++ b/docs/javascript.html
@@ -1416,27 +1416,31 @@ $('#myCollapsible').on('hidden', function () {
                   <div class="item active">
                     <img src="assets/img/bootstrap-mdo-sfmoma-01.jpg" alt="">
                     <div class="carousel-caption">
-                      <h4>First Thumbnail label</h4>
-                      <p>Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
+                      <h3>First slide label</h3>
+                      <p>Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.</p>
                     </div>
                   </div>
                   <div class="item">
                     <img src="assets/img/bootstrap-mdo-sfmoma-02.jpg" alt="">
                     <div class="carousel-caption">
-                      <h4>Second Thumbnail label</h4>
-                      <p>Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
+                      <h3>Second slide label</h3>
+                      <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.</p>
                     </div>
                   </div>
                   <div class="item">
                     <img src="assets/img/bootstrap-mdo-sfmoma-03.jpg" alt="">
                     <div class="carousel-caption">
-                      <h4>Third Thumbnail label</h4>
-                      <p>Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
+                      <h3>Third slide label</h3>
+                      <p>Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
                     </div>
                   </div>
                 </div>
-                <a class="left carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" data-slide="prev">&lsaquo;</a>
-                <a class="right carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" data-slide="next">&rsaquo;</a>
+                <a class="left carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" data-slide="prev">
+                  <span class="control">&lsaquo;</span>
+                </a>
+                <a class="right carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" data-slide="next">
+                  <span class="control">&rsaquo;</span>
+                </a>
               </div>
             </div>
 <pre class="prettyprint linenums">
diff --git a/docs/templates/pages/javascript.mustache b/docs/templates/pages/javascript.mustache
index b707ebe2..ff16aba8 100644
--- a/docs/templates/pages/javascript.mustache
+++ b/docs/templates/pages/javascript.mustache
@@ -1348,27 +1348,31 @@ $('#myCollapsible').on('hidden', function () {
                   <div class="item active">
                     <img src="assets/img/bootstrap-mdo-sfmoma-01.jpg" alt="">
                     <div class="carousel-caption">
-                      <h4>{{_i}}First Thumbnail label{{/i}}</h4>
-                      <p>Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
+                      <h3>{{_i}}First slide label{{/i}}</h3>
+                      <p>Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.</p>
                     </div>
                   </div>
                   <div class="item">
                     <img src="assets/img/bootstrap-mdo-sfmoma-02.jpg" alt="">
                     <div class="carousel-caption">
-                      <h4>{{_i}}Second Thumbnail label{{/i}}</h4>
-                      <p>Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
+                      <h3>{{_i}}Second slide label{{/i}}</h3>
+                      <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.</p>
                     </div>
                   </div>
                   <div class="item">
                     <img src="assets/img/bootstrap-mdo-sfmoma-03.jpg" alt="">
                     <div class="carousel-caption">
-                      <h4>{{_i}}Third Thumbnail label{{/i}}</h4>
-                      <p>Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
+                      <h3>{{_i}}Third slide label{{/i}}</h3>
+                      <p>Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.</p>
                     </div>
                   </div>
                 </div>
-                <a class="left carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" data-slide="prev">&lsaquo;</a>
-                <a class="right carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" data-slide="next">&rsaquo;</a>
+                <a class="left carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" data-slide="prev">
+                  <span class="control">&lsaquo;</span>
+                </a>
+                <a class="right carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" data-slide="next">
+                  <span class="control">&rsaquo;</span>
+                </a>
               </div>
             </div>{{! /example }}
 <pre class="prettyprint linenums">
diff --git a/less/carousel.less b/less/carousel.less
index 33f98ac4..d92cb1bc 100644
--- a/less/carousel.less
+++ b/less/carousel.less
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
 }
 
 .carousel-inner {
+  position: relative;
   overflow: hidden;
   width: 100%;
-  position: relative;
 }
 
 .carousel {
@@ -69,21 +69,17 @@
 
 .carousel-control {
   position: absolute;
-  top: 40%;
-  left: 15px;
-  width: 40px;
-  height: 40px;
-  margin-top: -20px;
-  font-size: 60px;
-  font-weight: 100;
-  line-height: 30px;
-  color: @white;
-  text-align: center;
-  background: @grayDarker;
-  border: 3px solid @white;
-  .border-radius(23px);
+  top: 0;
+  left: 0;
+  bottom: 0;
+  width: 100px;
   .opacity(50);
 
+  &.left {
+    #gradient > .horizontal(rgba(0,0,0,.75), rgba(0,0,0,.001));
+    background-color: transparent;
+  }
+
   // we can't have this transition here
   // because webkit cancels the carousel
   // animation if you trip this while
@@ -94,7 +90,9 @@
   // Reposition the right one
   &.right {
     left: auto;
-    right: 15px;
+    right: 0;
+    #gradient > .horizontal(rgba(0,0,0,.001), rgba(0,0,0,.75));
+    background-color: transparent;
   }
 
   // Hover state
@@ -104,6 +102,18 @@
     .opacity(90);
   }
 }
+.carousel-control .control {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 50%;
+  z-index: 5;
+  display: block;
+  margin-top: -35px;
+  margin-left: 35px;
+  font-size: 80px;
+  font-weight: 100;
+  color: #fff;
+  text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.6);
+}
 
 
 // Caption for text below images
@@ -114,16 +124,17 @@
   left: 0;
   right: 0;
   bottom: 0;
-  padding: 15px;
-  background: @grayDark;
-  background: rgba(0,0,0,.75);
+  z-index: 10;
+  padding: 40px;
+  text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.6);
+  max-width: 60%;
 }
-.carousel-caption h4,
+.carousel-caption h3,
 .carousel-caption p {
   color: @white;
   line-height: @baseLineHeight;
 }
-.carousel-caption h4 {
+.carousel-caption h3 {
   margin: 0 0 5px;
 }
 .carousel-caption p {