Structure and star formation in disk galaxies - II. Optical imaging

We present optical observations of a sample of 57 spiral galaxies and describe the procedures followed to reduce the data. We have obtained images in the optical B and I broad bands, as well as in Ha, with moderate spatial resolution and across wide enough fields to image the complete disks of the galaxies. In addition, we observed 55 of our sample galaxies in the R and eight in the V band, and imaged a subset through a dedicated narrow continuum filter for the Ha line. We describe the data reduction procedures we developed in the course of this work to register, combine and photometrically calibrate each set of images for an individual galaxy. We describe in some detail the procedure used to subtract the continuum emission from our Ha images. In companion papers, we describe near-infrared imaging of the galaxy sample, and present analyses of disk scale lengths, and of properties of bars, rings, and H II regions in the sample galaxies. The images described here are available for use by other researchers.