Android : OutOfMemoryError while trying to reduce size of byte data using bitmaps

In my app when i upload an image i want to reduce the data so i call this function. But this piece of code is giving me an outOfMemoryError.

LOGCAT: 09-17 15:32:01.712: E/AndroidRuntime(7771): at com.technow.pereo.FileHelper.reduceImageForUpload(FileHelper.java:64)

    public static byte[] reduceImageForUpload(byte[] imageData) {
    Bitmap bitmap = ImageResizer.resizeImageMaintainAspectRatio(imageData,
            SHORT_SIDE_TARGET);

    ByteArrayOutputStream outputStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
    bitmap.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 50, outputStream);
    bitmap.recycle();
    byte[] reducedData = outputStream.toByteArray();
    try {
        outputStream.close();
    } catch (IOException e) {
        // Intentionally blank
    }

    return reducedData;
}

What is causing this error and how do I resolve it?!