  (abridged) INTEGRAL has discovered large numbers of new hard X-ray sources,
many of which are believed to be high mass X-ray binaries. However, for a
significant fraction, their counterparts remain unidentified. We explore the
use of photometric catalogues to find optical counterparts to high mass X-ray
binaries. Candidates were selected from 2MASS photometry by means of a
reddening free Q parameter. Sufficiently bright candidates were
spectroscopically observed. Many of the candidates selected turned out to be
moderately reddened late A or early F stars, but our method is able to identify
the counterpart to IGR J16207-5129, confirmed by a Chandra localisation. We
classify this object as a B0 supergiant. In the field of AX J1820.5-1434, we
find a mid or early B-type star, but we cannot confirm it as the counterpart.
For AX J1700.2-4220, we do not find any suitable candidate within the ASCA
error circle. We classify HD 153295, a marginal candidate to be the
counterpart, as B0.5IVe, and find a distance compatible with membership in Sco
OB1. We derive a spectral type B0IIIe for HD100199, previously identified as
the counterpart to IGR J11305-6256. In the case of IGR J17091-3624, the object
associated with a variable radio source in the field is a late F star. The
procedure used is able to correctly identify OB stars and, in about one third
of the cases, may lead to the localisation of the correct counterpart. However,
the majority of INTEGRAL error circles do not contain any suitable optically
visible counterpart. Deep infrared searches are going to be necessary in order
to locate the counterparts to these sources.
