We present two-dimensional Fabry-Perot observations of the emission-line distribution and kinematics in nearby spiral galaxies. We have developed and demonstrated the utility of a number of analysis tools which have general applicability, but which we have, so far, applied to only one galaxy (M74, Fathi et al. 2007). In this galaxy, we have found kinematic signatures of radial motions caused by an m=2 perturbation. Such a perturbation may well be responsible for the inflow of material forming the nuclear ring and the inner rapidly rotating disk-like structure. The latter, in turn, could help build a pseudo-bulge. In the second paper in this series, we will apply the kinematic analysis tools to a sample of nine late-type spiral galaxies observed with the FaNTOmM Fabry-Perot spectrometer at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.