The light induced isomerisation reaction of the protonated Schiff base retinal with butylamine was studied in solution by subpicosecond infrared spectroscopy in the spectral range of the C-C, C=C and C=NH+ stretching modes. Upon heating by the internal S-1 --> S-0 conversion process, vibrationally hot molecules are formed which are characterized by pronounced red-shifts of the C-C, the C=C and C=NH+ stretching modes. The frequency shifts can be used to estimate an intramolecular temperature of the chromophore of 550 K immediately after the S-1 --> S-0 transition.