We report the resonance Raman spectrum of the first excited singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) states of meso-tetraphenylporphine. The structure of the T1 state is characterized by a weakening of the C(beta)C(beta) bonds and a strengthening of the C(alpha)N bonds relative to the ground electronic state. These changes are of considerably lower amplitude than those observed for zinc(II) tetraphenylporphyrin, where Jahn-Teller instability of the T1 state was observed (Walters, V. A.; de Paula, J. C.; Babcock, G. T.; Leroi, G. E. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989,111, 8300). By comparing data on a number of compounds, we provide a preliminary analysis of the chemical factors that modulate the dynamics of the excited states of porphyrins.