Android Studio decodingFile not working, how to proceed?

Question

camera.java

final File file = new File(getExternalFilesDir(null) ,"/CCA_" + new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd_HHmmss", Locale.getDefault()).format(new Date()) + ".jpg");
                    ImageReader.OnImageAvailableListener readerListener = new ImageReader.OnImageAvailableListener() {
                        @Override
                        public void onImageAvailable(ImageReader imageReader) {
                            Image image;
                            image = reader.acquireLatestImage();
                            ByteBuffer buffer = image.getPlanes()[0].getBuffer();
                            byte[] bytes = new byte[buffer.capacity()];
                            buffer.get(bytes);
                            OutputStream outputStream = null;
                            try {
                                outputStream = new FileOutputStream(file);
                                outputStream.write(bytes);
                                imgTaken =  file.getPath();
                            } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
                                e.printStackTrace();
                            } catch (IOException e) {
                                e.printStackTrace();
                            } finally {
                                if (outputStream != null) {
                                    try {
                                        outputStream.close();
                                    } catch (IOException e) {
                                        e.printStackTrace();
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    };

using this function to save the image taken.

scenarioFire.java

Bitmap bmpPhoto =  BitmapFactory.decodeFile(imageFilePath);

List<ImageDetection.Recognition> predictions = imageDetection.recognizeImage(bmpPhoto,0);
final List<String> lstPredictions = new ArrayList<>();

for(ImageDetection.Recognition recognition : predictions){
    lstPredictions.add(recognition.getName() + "- Confidence: " + recognition.getConfidence());
    Log.e("Prediction: " , recognition.getName() + "- Confidence: " + recognition.getConfidence());
    imageContains += recognition.getName() + "- Confidence: " + recognition.getConfidence() + "\n";
}

in this file i am trying to decode the jpeg into bitmap so it can be passed onto the tensorflow function to recognize the image, but the image cannot be decoded.

i have tried every solution on most forums and nothing seems to work.

keeps returning null. i have tried to see if it was the size affecting it or the location but those seem to be okay. dont know how to proceed