Can't take photo/attach photo in iMessages -- using iPhone

i have iOS 13.7 on my iPhone.

When I try to send a photo in iMessage, the screen goes black. Not sure if the iMessage app is freezing, but there's no way to cancel/go back. The app shows a black screen. I can switch out of the app and force it closed. My camera works fine. It's not isolated to one specific person or a group message. I tried a bunch of times, killed the app, restarted my phone a gazillion times. Still a black screen.

The workaround is going to camera/photo library, locating the photo(s), and choosing to send it in a message. The photo(s) sends. However, everytime I try to use the option (take a photo/send a photo) in the iMessage app itself, the screen goes black.

I just noticed this issue today 9/15; however, the last time I sent a photo this way was last week (last Thursday).

I've already been unsuccessfully working on other iMessage issues with a Senior Advisor, but doing so I started noticing issues I hadn't noticed before (photos missing in "details" section, imessages not loading before 2018, etc). i was hoping an engineer was working on my issue, but the SA said 9/16 tomorrow apple is releasing iOS 14. hoping it solves this problem, but wanted to document this issue in case anyone else is having the same problem.

i'm so frustrated with apple. they keep releasing subpar products at premium prices. even subscribing/purchasing space on icloud doesn't help. they seem content to spend hours (i think i've spent 12hrs on the phone w/ a SA for these imessage issues alone) troubleshooting the same solutions other ppl have tried without success. nothing's worked. hopefully, iOS 14 solves all my iphone probs. if not, i'm switching to android.

FYI - apple discussion forum doesn't even have the option to properly tag this post for "iMessages." no iMessage option under "iOS apps" or "applications." clearly, they don't want ppl notifying apple about imessage issues...