OPTICAL-SURFACE PHOTOMETRY OF RADIO GALAXIES .1. OBSERVATIONS AND DATA-ANALYSIS

This is the first paper of a series aimed at studying the structural a nd photometric properties in the optical band of a sample of 95 radio galaxies, Detailed surface photometry in the B and R bands is reported here for 29 objects. We give contour plots and complete structural (e llipticity, position angle, Fourier coefficients) and photometric prof iles as a function of the major axis for each object. The integrated o bserved properties (isophotal and total magnitude, effective radius, e tc.), as derived from detailed surface photometry, are reported, The r elationship between effective radius R(e) and surface brightness mu(e) , and the properties of the immediate environment are discussed. Comme nts on all individual objects are also included.