First pin of this SMD chip?
You walk to the manufacturer's web site, look the data sheet up: http://www.nxp.com/documents/data_sheet/74HC_HCT595.pdf and there on page 17, you'll find a nice drawing of your package. The drawing will show you that the package is not totally symmetrical, the top edge of one of the longer sides of the package is slanted, and pin 1 is on that side.