A method to align the write channel portion of a holographic data storage system, wherein the method establishes a write threshold correlation factor, provides a reference beam, and illuminates a holographic data storage medium encoded with a write reference orientation image with the reference beam to generate a write channel alignment data beam including a projected write reference orientation image. The method projects the write channel alignment data beam onto an optical detector, and calculates a first write correlation factor using the projected write reference orientation image, a stored write reference orientation image, and the tangential matched filter. If the method determines that the first write correlation factor is greater than or equal to the write threshold correlation factor, then the method determines that the spatial write channel is properly aligned.