H alpha and adjacent continuum images are presented for a sample of nearby groups of galaxies extracted from the Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies. Also, more detailed H alpha maps of the most remarkable galaxies are shown in this paper. A short description of the H alpha emission for each of the galaxies with accordant redshift is presented together with a morphological classification of the accordant galaxies in the sample. A large fraction of ellipticals and lenticulars were detected in H alpha . Also, clear signs of interactions were found in seven of the groups, but in only in three of them was H alpha emission detected along the tidal features. Candidates of dwarf galaxies were found at the tips of the tidal tails developed during the interactions in these three groups.