The low temperature emission spectra of metal acetylacetonate complexes are analyzed. Excited state distortions are determined by using a combination of resonance Raman spectroscopy, emission spectroscopy, and time-dependent theory. The bonds that are most highly distorted as a result of the transition are the C-C and O-C-C bonds on the ligand, supporting an assignment of the emission to a ligand-centered pi-pi* transition.