[Python] IndexError: list index out of range, face_recognition

I am using open cv and face recognition together, however this line of code:

biden_encoding = face_recognition.face_encodings(known_image)[0]


is giving me the following error:

IndexError: list index out of range


I have read up on this error and most conclude that it means that face_recognition is not detecting any faces in the frame. However, open cv is detecting faces within that same frame, so I am not sure if face_recognition is indeed not detecting any faces or I am receiving an IndexError for some other reason?

all the code needed to get a background of the issue:

check, frame = video.read()
faceCascade = cv2.CascadeClassifier(
'C:\\Users\\Astroid\\Desktop\\face detection software\\data\\haarcascade_frontalface_alt.xml')

frame = cv2.cvtColor(frame, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)

faces = faceCascade.detectMultiScale(
frame,
scaleFactor=1.2,
minNeighbors=5,
)

for x, y, w, h in faces:
img = cv2.rectangle(frame, (x, y), (x + w, y + h), (255, 0, 0), 1)

if len(os.listdir("C:\\Users\\Astroid\\Desktop\\face detection software\\saved faces\\")) == 0:

cv2.imwrite(
"C:\\Users\\Astroid\\Desktop\\face detection software\\saved faces\\" + "1 faces.jpg", cropped)
else:
cv2.imwrite(
"C:\\Users\\Astroid\Desktop\\face detection software\\unknown faces\\" + " unknown_faces.jpg", cropped)

known_image = face_recognition.load_image_file(
"C:\\Users\\Astroid\\Desktop\\face detection software\\saved faces\\" + "1 faces.jpg")

unknown_image = face_recognition.load_image_file(
"C:\\Users\\Astroid\Desktop\\face detection software\\unknown faces\\" + " unknown_faces.jpg"

biden_encoding = face_recognition.face_encodings(known_image)[0]
print(biden_encoding)#

unknown_encoding = face_recognition.face_encodings(unknown_image)[0]
print(unknown_encoding)#

results = face_recognition.compare_faces([biden_encoding], [unknown_encoding])

if results >= (60):
shutil.move(
"C:\\Users\\Astroid\Desktop\\face detection software\\unknown faces\\" + " unknown_faces.jpg",
"C:\\Users\\Astroid\\Desktop\\face detection software\\saved faces\\" + (face_num) + (" faces.jpg"))
else:
pass

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